The Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) district held a press conference Friday to address community concerns regarding recent findings of lead in select school water fixtures, a flea issue at Berclair Elementary and reports of HVAC interruptions at Central High School.
District officials emphasized that the purpose of the briefing was to ensure transparency and reaffirm the districtโs commitment to student health, safety and comfort.
Lead testing results
According to MSCS officials, risk management teams collected water samples from school buildings earlier this summer and received results on July 27. Within 24 hours, all relevant departments and regulatory agencies were notified, and letters were sent to affected personnel August 1 in accordance with state law.
Twenty-seven individual water sources โ defined as single sinks or fixtures โ in 24 schools tested above acceptable lead levels. Facilities teams immediately shut off those sources before the school year began. District plumbers are now working to replace or repair them before retesting.
โNo students were exposed to lead,โ said one district official. โWe acted before the first day of school, turned off all affected fixtures and will not turn them back on until the water tests safe.โ
Pest control at Berclair Elementary
The district confirmed reports of fleas at Berclair Elementary in early August. Pest control teams treated the school twice last week and then completed a more thorough three-tier treatment, which officials say resolved the issue.
โI have not had a single report of fleas since the full treatment was completed,โ MSCS Facilities Officer Michelle Stewart stated. โWe are confident the problem has been addressed and will continue to monitor the building closely.โ
HVAC at Central High School
Reports of warm classrooms at Central High School prompted checks by building engineers, who found temperatures between 74 and 76 degrees in the affected rooms. Officials stressed that the readings did not indicate a true HVAC system failure.
โThere were no major HVAC issues in the district today,โ Stewart said. โOur systems are old, but our engineers and technicians are on site daily to make sure students and staff are safe and comfortable.โ
Superintendent Roderick Richmond closed his first press conference of the 2025โ2026 school year encouraging parents to communicate directly with teachers or principals about concerns and to reach out to district leadership if issues are not resolved.
