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Marshall Elementary parents ask district for immediate help after fire-safety move forces classroom relocations
Summary
Parents from Marshall Elementary told the board that a fire-safety enforcement order requires moving second graders off the second floor, stripping access to the library and STEM lab; they asked the district to provide portable lab/library resources, release bond funds for a permanent fix by August 2018, and improve communication with the fire department.
Parents and school staff from Marshall Elementary told the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education on Dec. 12 that a fire marshal’s interpretation of construction code requires second-grade and special-education classrooms be moved from the second floor to the ground floor unless sprinklers or dedicated exits are provided.
Jonas Hernandez, one of the speakers for Marshall, described the cited code and the district’s required correction, saying the order would force second-graders to relocate to spaces not designed for kindergarten–second grade instruction. "The violation ... demands that the students, of the second grade and special education are moved to the First Floor," he said, adding the short-term fix would require converting the library and STEM room to classrooms.
Other parents and staff detailed the practical effects: loss of library and STEM lab access for K–2 students, temporary classroom placement in an exposed outbuilding adjacent to the school (described as noisy and not intended as a classroom), the logistical burden of moving six classrooms during the holiday break and the likely disruption to instruction and teacher time.
Speakers asked the district to supply portable STEM and library units for affected students, to commit to a permanent solution by August 2018 in time for the 2018–19 school year, and to release bond funds identified for Marshall to begin construction. Parents also requested transparent communication with the fire department and that Marshall parents be added to related facilities and bond oversight committee agendas.
District representatives acknowledged the 30-day timeline given by the fire department and fielded requests for expedited use of existing bond funds and clearer communication. Several speakers urged the board to consider compensation or other supports for teachers who will do significant packing and reassembly outside contract hours.
What parents asked: immediate portable library and portable STEM lab for K–2 students; clearer communication with the fire department; inclusion on committee agendas (buildings/grounds and Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee); release of bond funds to build a permanent solution by August 2018.
Board response: The board received the public comment and acknowledged the parents’ requests; staff were asked to follow up with the school and parents, and parents sought placement on upcoming committee agendas.
