Proviso East To Remain Closed For the Week...

Proviso East High School will remain closed for this week (Sept. 15, 2008- Friday, Sept. 19, 2008) due to damage caused by flooding.

"We are working to get our students back in class as soon as humanly possible," said PTHS 209 Superintendent Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart. "The environmental team has come into Proviso East and begun to work on making the building operational. As much as we want to resume education for our students, it is not safe to have students in the building until the area is decontaminated and the boiler room is repaired. "

We are anticipating that parents will receive updated information regarding when classes will resume no later than Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. More information regarding this will be distributed as it becomes available.

Two major occurrences during the storm are affecting school operations. The boiler room was flooded with over 10 feet of water-- which affects the hot water supply in the building and a diesel tank containing approximately 500 gallons of fuel was overturned when water rushed through pipes underground. The environmental team has begun assessing, cleaning, and decontaminating the flooded areas.

"This is a large job," said a representative from the team of specialists working on the project. "We will coordinate any and all repairs and work around the clock to get the kids in school as soon as possible."

PTHS 209 administrators are working diligently on alternative plans to continue with school while clean-up is in progress.

Proviso East's Bring Your Parent to School Day will be rescheduled. The September Board of Education meeting scheduled for September 22, 2008 at Proviso East will be relocated to Proviso Math and Science Academy at 7 p.m..

We ask that parents and staff who have not received information this week to please call your respective building with up to date contact information, including a telephone number and email address. You can also email this information to pr@pths209.org.

Information on school closings can be obtained from the District's website (www.pths209.org), from the emergency closing center at www.emergencyclosingcenter.com or 847-238-1234.