The School District of Philadelphia on Saturday held what it called a briefing for Mayfair community stakeholders regarding its decision to relocate students from Kensington High School to the vacant Austin Meehan Middle School building at 3001 Ryan Ave.
Oz Hill, deputy superintendent of operations, was joined by a team of school district officials who detailed what they are calling the “swing space transition” of Kensington to Austin Meehan, which closed in 2022.
Meehan was supposed to be demolished, as the school district built Propel Academy, a K-8 school that opened in 2021 at 7500 Rowland Ave., not too far from Meehan.
Instead, Meehan has housed students from Pollock while that school was being renovated and from Thomas Holme, when that school was getting a new building.
Kensington, at 2051 E. Cumberland St., will move to the Austin Meehan site through December due to an asbestos issue.
City Councilman Mike Driscoll (D-6th dist.) condemned the move in an Aug. 14 statement, calling it a “rushed decision” and noting there was no engagement with the community on issues of transportation, congestion and public safety.
In addition to Propel, the area includes an Abraham Lincoln High School building that is so overcrowded that the school district had to build a trailer for freshmen.
Kensington staff reported on Aug. 17. Students report on Monday.
In all, there will be about 4,000 students at Meehan, Lincoln and Propel, along with students from St. Matthew and Mayfair Elementary School who live near the area of Rowland and Ryan avenues.
Driscoll attended Saturday’s meeting at Meehan along with aides Tom Forkin and Stan Cywinski. Others in attendance included Mayfair Civic Association president Mike Serverson; Lt. Chris Duchossois, of the 15th Police District; neighborhood resident Melinda Mulvenna; and Marty Bednarek, a former member of the school board and School Reform Commission.
The meeting was streamed, with Mayfair Business Improvement District executive director Donny Smith and 64th Ward Democratic leader Sean Kilkenny on the call.
Bill Griffin, a retired principal who taught at Meehan from 1992 to 2001 and who is running for state representative, tried to attend the meeting, but the school district denied him entrance.
Hill started the meeting by apologizing that the community was not told of Kensington’s move to Meehan.
“This situation unfurled at the speed of light,” he said.
Hill also mentioned that a community benefits agreement with the Mayfair neighborhood from 2019 and ‘20 – when William Hite was superintendent – requires transparency from the school district.
“We dropped the ball,” he said.
Hill said Kensington has a little more than 400 students, along with 90 staff. Students wear black pants and either purple or black shirts.
Hill added that the work to be done at Kensington consists of asbestos abatement; HVAC system improvements; plumbing, electrical and carpentry work; and cleaning.
Kensington students will return to their school in January, and no other school is scheduled to use Meehan for the rest of the school year.
Kevin Meldrum, of the school district’s facilities division, said Meehan has been cleaned and there have been upgrades to the lighting and restrooms.
Tom Marcucci, director of transportation, said most students will be transported to and from school on yellow shuttle buses. In the morning, the buses will take Kensington Avenue to Frankford Avenue to Harbison Avenue to Brous Avenue.
There are about 90 students who use SEPTA. For the handful of students who drive, they will park on Ryan Avenue. There are also a handful of students who live close enough to Meehan to walk to and from school.
Lisa Norton, executive director of food services, said students will receive a grab-and-go breakfast and eat lunch in the cafeteria.
Craig Johnson, the chief of school safety, said there will be five school safety officers at Meehan, with a sixth on site for arrival and dismissal.
There will be an X-ray machine, a walk-through metal detector and two hand-held metal detecting wands.
There is a parking lot for staff.
No extracurricular activities will take place at Meehan.
Dismissal has been moved up 20 minutes to 2:15 p.m. so the students are on their way home before Lincoln dismisses at 2:34.
Assisting the school safety officers will be Greg Bucceroni, of Town Watch Integrated Services, and the 15th district.
“Truancy will be enforced,” Duchossois said.
Neighbors who witness suspicious activity can call the school district at 215-400-6000.
Hill suggested that there be calls every Friday to see how things are going with Kensington’s move to Meehan. ••
