RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond teacher contacted CBS 6 Problem Solvers with concerns about the condition of the former Summer Hill School, which is slated to reopen for the upcoming school year in a couple weeks.
The teacher took photos throughout the school which showed overgrown bushes outside the school and missing ceiling tiles on the inside.
The teacher and others are concerned that the building is not going to be ready for the hundreds of Pre-Kindergarten students that will be moved to the building for the upcoming school year on August 29.
"It's a mess," said RPS parent, Pansy Brown.
We showed the photos to Richmond School Board Member Kristen Larson.
Larson said she toured the school a couple of weeks ago because they were looking at it as a possible location for an alternative school.
Larson agreed a lot of work needs to be done.
She said last week an emergency decision was made by the superintendent to move Pre-K students from several elementary schools into the Summer Hill school due to overcrowding on Richmond's Southside.
"We know that we just don't have enough room for all those Kindergarten classes and what we don't want to see happen is have Kindergarten classes with 28, 29 ,30 children in them," said Larson.
Assistant Superintendent Tommy Kranz said he understands why teachers and parents would have concerns about the school.
He said they are working to have everything complete for the start of school and will be doing things like cutting back bushes, repairing and painting windows.
Kranz said they will be going room to room and is confident everything will be ready by August 29.
However, some parents said they aren't sure it will be complete.
"I hope they can get it together," said Brown, "because they ain't got long."
CBS 6 will be touring the building later this week and will provide updates on air and online.
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