MSCS: Cummings K-8 students will relocate this week as district evaluates building post-ceiling collapse

Students at Cummings K-8 Optional School will return to class Tuesday and for the rest of the week at a different school building, while the building undergoes a structural assessment, Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials announced Monday afternoon.

Class will take place at nearby LaRose Elementary School instead of Cummings, where the school's ceiling collapsed in the library on Monday.

No students were in the library at the time.

Three staffers were taken to the hospital in non-critical condition, including the school librarian, who was the only person in the library at the time of the collapse, according to the Memphis Fire Department.

The ceiling collapse did not involve the structure of the roof, according to MFD spokesperson Lt. Hunter Smith. John Barker, acting co-superintendent and deputy superintendent over operations, confirmed the collapse involved the library's drop ceiling.

About 1.5 miles from Cummings, the address for LaRose is 864 Willoughby St.

Students evacuated to nearby church

On Monday, Cummings students were evacuated from the school to a nearby Metropolitan Baptist Church. The district made the decision to move students after consulting Memphis fire and police departments, according to Michelle McKissack, board chair of the MSCS board and board member representing the school.

"I was really impressed with the response of the district. They had a whole team when I got here and I got here pretty quick, because I was nearby," McKissack told The Commercial Appeal.

"So they assessed the situation, they talked to the Memphis Fire Department, (Memphis Police Department), and that's when they made the decision to evacuate the entire building and move the students to another location just out of an abundance of caution," she said. "Every student is doing just fine."

Student lunches were delivered to Metropolitan Baptist Church, McKissack said.

In a message the district said it sent to families, MSCS said students would dismiss early "due to a maintenance issue": "Cummings K-8 will dismiss early today due to a maintenance issue. No students were injured. Student pick-up will be from Metropolitan Baptist Church, 767 Walker Ave. Students will be provided lunch. We will share more details as they come available."

Family members were seen departing with students from the church around 1:15 p.m. Monday.

Ceiling collapse stirs up recent school safety concerns for Cummings

When Cummings mom Cherricka Hayes first heard about the collapse, she immediately though, "Where was my son at?"

Her 8-year-old son, Ethan, is doing well. He walked with other students and staff to the nearby church. Hayes said the school did a good job responding to the incident, but she has questions about what will happen next.

“If the library caved in, is the rest of the building OK?" she said. "So I have some concerns about that.”

Barker, the co-superintendent, described the collapse as an "anomaly."

“This seems to be a bit of an anomaly in that there was not any indication that this was a concern," Barker told reporters at the school. "We check before every school year, and all throughout the year, to make sure that the buildings are safe. Everyone should be convinced that we do have safe schools.”

Angela Whitelaw, co-superintendent over academics, told reporters school safety is the district's top priority.

"Building safety is critical," Whitelaw said. "We will be assessing this particular issue and making sure that our students are safe is our number one goal other than academic achievement. All of our students have to be safe coming to school.”

The event marks at least the second time in the last year students were evacuated from the school building.

Last fall, one student shot and injured a classmate in the school building's stairwell.

During the first week of school last week, district officials gathered at the school on Wednesday to accept a $25,000 donation from local music and entertainment businessman Julius Lewis.

Funds from Lewis, a graduate of Cummings K-8, will go toward "rebuild(ing) the band program, enhance the athletic program, and to cultivate a rigorous science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program," MSCS said.

Cummings K-8 Optional School is located at 1037 Cummings St. and was built in 1961, officials said.

Lucas Finton is a news reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: MSCS: Cummings K-8 students will relocate to new school after ceiling collapse