Passing inspection could mean reopening of Ridge Street Elementary School

Another state inspection is expected to take place Thursday morning, which could allow Ridge Street Elementary School to reopen.

News 12 Staff

Sep 29, 2021, 9:57 AM

Updated 1,166 days ago

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A Westchester school shut down by the state over safety concerns could reopen next week.
Another state inspection is expected to take place Thursday morning, which could allow the Blind Brook School District to reopen the Ridge Street Elementary School on Monday or Tuesday.
District and school board officials walked through the elementary school building Tuesday and believe they're on track to pass the inspection.
If approved, the district will reopen 24 classrooms - enough to bring every student back for in-person learning.
The trouble began in early September when the state shut down Ridge Street Elementary School over a lack of permits and fire safety concerns stemming from ongoing construction.
School officials say final fixes will be made over the next 24 hours. "We are laser-focused, and our absolute top priority remains passing. Getting to a place where we can be inspected and then passing that inspection," says Scott Jaffee, Blind Brook-Rye Board of Education President.
Architects say they will do a final walkthrough to confirm they are good to go for an examination with the fire inspectors and the target date remains Thursday. "We will walk with the fire marshal on Thursday, the hope is that the fire marshal will understand the plan and agree with and sign off on it," says Fred Seba, of BB Architects.
The district is also working on a contingency plan in case they fail this week's inspection, including negotiating temporary leases for classroom space with both Mohawk Day Camp in White Plains and the JCC in Harrison.