Structural Issues at Media Elementary Will Close Building in September

announced Monday afternoon that due to structural issues with the building, the school will close for repairs and the students will be relocated during the next school year.

The building is not a danger to anyone and the students and faculty are completely safe, Rose Tree Media School District Superintendent James Wigo stressed.

"I can't overstress enough the building is safe and the children's safety is our number one priority," Wigo said.

He said an engineering team determined that a 100-year-old roof truss in the building needs to be repaired.

"We're not shutting the building down because it's unsafe," Wigo said. "We're moving the kids to effectively make the changes and insure its (structure) for another 30 years."

Classes currently on the third floor of the school were moved to other rooms in the building earlier in the school year while a temporary fix was put in place but a more permanent solution is needed.

"When we moved those classes out of the third floor it was a matter of being overly safe," Wigo said.

A permanent fix to the problem involves major work to the building and will require the building to be unoccupied during construction, he said.

"The building needs to be unoccupied for up to one school year," Wigo said. "We're anticipating the 2012-2013 school year to be in another location."

A temporary school location has not yet been determined and Wigo said all possibilities are currently being investigated.

When asked if , which , was an option, Wigo said he hasn't spoken to anyone about a temporary location yet.

Parents received a voice mail message from Principal Maria Kotch on Monday afternoon informing them of the situation, at the same time the school's faculty was informed, according to Wigo. (Watch the attached video to hear the message.)

He said he will keep everyone informed as details about construction and the temporary school location emerge.

A Facebook group has been created regarding this issue.