A Somerville elementary school is closed Friday while structural engineers investigate whether the building is safe after concrete fell onto a stairwell this week, city officials said.
The Winter Hill Community Innovation School will remain closed and city officials are looking for alternative locations to hold classes should the engineers determine that significant structural repairs are needed, officials said.
In a letter to the school community, officials said the decision to close Friday came after a small amount of concrete fell onto a stairwell inside the school after classes ended for the day. The stairwell was closed, and short-term repairs were made by the city’s public works department.
“Out of an abundance of caution at this time, we have made the decision to close the school on Friday, June 2nd, while structural engineers conduct a more thorough review of the building,” officials said. “We expect this to happen sometime in the next several days. SPS administration and the Mayor’s Office are working together on a contingency plan for temporary relocation of classrooms into other buildings in the event that this may be necessary.”
The letter was signed by Interim Superintendent of Schools Jeff Curley, Principal Courtney Gosselin, and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne.
The school on Bonair Street teaches students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. On its website, Winter Hill is described as the sole “innovation school” in the Somerville public school system, with “limited self-governance and a deliberate and innovative approach to the student needs.”
In 2017, the school was awarded the Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools at The Boston Foundation.
“As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority,“ officials said. “Canceling classes and closing a school are always our last choice, however in the interest of safety we have determined the best option ... is to allow for a full building review.”
Officials said they will update the school community this weekend.
John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him @JREbosglobe.