N.J. school closed indefinitely due to asbestos, partial ceiling collapse

Paterson Public School No. 3 is closed indefinitely after a partial ceiling collapse and asbestos cleanup.

More than 300 students at a 124-year-old Paterson public school building will be starting the school year elsewhere after part of the first-floor ceiling collapsed, prompting a planned 16-week asbestos cleanup, district officials said.

Paterson Public School No. 3 remains closed until further notice. The school, located at 448 Main Street, enrolls students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

An asbestos abatement project, costing an estimated $2.1 million and involving all 21 classrooms and hallway ceilings, is scheduled to conclude by the first week of January 2024, according to an overview on the school district’s website that noted a structural failure of ceilings throughout the building.

The partial ceiling collapse, which did not result in any injuries, was discovered July 28, officials said. Parents were notified Aug. 9 and the indefinite closure was discussed at a school board meeting last week. The district plans to send the 302 students to three other schools.

“We are doing our utmost to notify our School 3 parents about the latest information regarding their child’s schooling for the beginning of the school year. We want to hear from them and assure families that, despite the situation, their children’s educational experience will not be greatly affected,” said Paterson’s schools Superintendent Laurie Newell.

Students in grades K-2 will be moved to the Dale Avenue School and grades 3-8 to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Complex. A single class for 12 students with mild cognitive impairments will be moved to School 28, officials said.

In addition, officials said that 55 students who were mistakenly enrolled at Public School No. 3 will be enrolled in their neighborhood schools.

The school district announced Monday night that it has scheduled community forums for Tuesday and Aug. 29, both starting at 6 p.m., in the auditorium of Public School No. 2. There is room for up to 200 in the auditorium and the meeting will be livestreamed, officials said.

“The plans introduced in the overview given at the last Board of Education meeting were developed with great care. We understand that there are still some concerns, and these forums are going to help our parents better prepare for the opening of school,” Assistant Superintendent Cicely Warren said.

Asbestos had been widely used decades ago as a away to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.

Damaged asbestos-containing materials may pose a health risk if fibers are released into the air and inhaled into the lungs, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. When intact and undisturbed, asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk, the agency states on its website.

Public School No. 3 dates to 1899. The district, in its overview, describes the building as “educationally inadequate,” and notes that it does not have a standard gym, cafeteria, media center and separate restrooms for employees.

Classes in Paterson will resume Sept. 7.

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Rob Jennings may be reached at [email protected].

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