More than 400 Kensington High School students will begin the school year at a temporary campus in Northeast Philadelphia after asbestos concerns forced a last-minute relocation. Classes start Monday at the former Austin Meehan Middle School, which has been closed since 2022 and is now used by the district as a flex space.
The move puts students nearly 10 miles from their home school in Kensington, a distance that has parents worried about long commutes, unreliable buses and a transition announced with little warning.
HVAC demolition triggered the asbestos concern
The School District of Philadelphia said crews installing a new HVAC system at Kensington High discovered an asbestos concern during demolition work, prompting the temporary closure of the building. Work is expected to continue through December, with students returning in January.
Kensington High School Principal José Lebrón told a room full of parents and students at a Friday afternoon tour that safety drove the decision.
“After we found out about this problem, the decision was that Austin Meehan, as far as it may be, is the safest, most secure, clean environment for our kids to be at.”
The district said it considered other schools closer to Kensington High but determined they did not meet the space or accessibility needs of students.
Parents question commute times and late notice
John Aponte said the change is particularly concerning for his family. His son is on the spectrum, and bus service can already be unreliable and late. Adding a campus across the city could make things worse.
“They’re gonna be on that bus for at least I’m estimating an hour to two and a half hours.”
The district said it has organized a system of buses and shuttles to transport students to the temporary campus. Families toured the site Friday and received information about the transition.
Several parents expressed frustration with the timing. Many said they learned about the relocation only last week.
“They should have actually made preparations back in July so the parents could get everything situated,” David Oney Jr. said.
Neysa Fuentes Osorio said she wasn’t convinced the temporary school was the best option for her grandson, adding that she didn’t think the building had been cleaned and organized thoroughly.
District pledges improvements by January
Oz Hill, deputy superintendent of operations for the School District of Philadelphia, acknowledged the difficulty of the short-notice move.
“Two weeks ago, nobody thought they’d start their school year right here right now.”
Hill told families the district would use the months ahead to upgrade the Kensington building.
“We’re going to ensure that we improve Kensington High School so that when you come back in January, it’s going to be the school that you deserve.”
Families who missed Friday’s tour can visit the Austin Meehan campus Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.