Greenberg Elementary students have been relocated as Philly schools continue to face cold-weather issues

Building woes triggered by a sustained blast of cold weather continue at some Philadelphia schools.

Staff at Strawberry Mansion High reported that about half the building was without heat Monday, with some classrooms in the 40s and hallways not much warmer.

And staff and students at Greenberg Elementary in the Northeast had to relocate to the old Meehan Middle School after nearly a week of virtual school because of heating problems.

“Due to insufficient heat throughout the building, Greenberg is not able to safely support in-person learning at this time,” district officials wrote to parents this weekend. “Our facilities team is actively working to resolve the heating issue as quickly as possible. At this time, the repair timeline is still being assessed, but we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”

Meehan is one of the district’s “swing spaces” — it no longer operates as a school, but is used as an alternate location for schools that need it. It recently housed Thomas Holme Elementary while a new building was constructed for that school. It’s unclear how long Greenberg students will need to stay at Meehan.

The move rankled some Greenberg parents, who had logistical and safety concerns about sending their children to a different location.

Katy Foley-Gallagher, mom of a Greenberg kindergartener and third grader, said virtual learning was a challenge — on days she had to work, her husband had to take off from his job to manage their daughter and son.

But moving to Meehan isn’t ideal either, Foley-Gallagher said.

“Everybody’s getting anxious — this is disrupting their learning,” said Foley-Gallagher. “They district is not taking care of their building, and they don’t keep up with the infrastructure at all.”

The school system, which a 2023 landmark court ruling acknowledged has been underfunded for decades, has billions in unmet building needs. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has proposed a facilities master plan that would cost $2.8 billion and require closing 20 buildings, as well as modernizing 159 others.

It’s not yet clear whether Greenberg would receive upgrades as part of that process. And that plan, which the school board is expected to vote on this winter, would take years to implement.

Greenberg, like other district schools in the Northeast, is overcrowded, with over 1,000 students in a building whose capacity is 800. Students can no longer leave their classrooms for art or music; those rooms have been repurposed to accommodate extra classes.

“They’re going to put them back in these crowded rooms,” said Foley-Gallagher. “Greenberg is such a good school, but I worry that this is going to drive people out of the school, out of the city.”

She and other parents said they had concerns about their children being on a campus with Lincoln High, another overcrowded school.

District officials said they were taking steps to ensure “a smooth transition for students and families” as Greenberg relocates to Meehan.

The district is providing shuttle service for students who normally walk to Greenberg, though the shuttle leaves at 8 a.m., a half hour after classes begin.

“We understand that unexpected changes can be challenging for families, and we appreciate your patience and partnership as we work to restore normal building operations,” district chief operating officer Teresa Fleming wrote in an email to parents. “The safety and well-being of our school community remain our highest priority.”