Schools

Repairs at Shenandoah Elementary Won't Be Complete Until Summer

The spring storm damage that drove high winds through the St. Louis area Wednesday caused extensive damage to the Parkway school.

After closing for a day to assess damage caused by Wednesday’s storm, Shenandoah Valley Elementary in Chesterfield resumed classes on Thursday, but the school may not be fully back to normal until later this summer.

Portions of the roof were peeled back during the storm, which drove high winds through the St. Louis area and caused significant havoc in Hazelwood. Parkway Communications Coordinator Cathy Kelly said water than leaked in through the roof, caving in the drop-ceiling tiles in six rooms and part of the gym.

“It dripped on the computers, smart boards, books, carpeting and the walls,” she said.

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As crews move in to make repairs, students who have class in the damaged areas will be relocated to another part of the building, Kelly said.

“For example, two of the kindergarten rooms are going to the library,” she said, adding that they students and teachers will receive duplicate supplies so that classes can resume as normal.

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The district is hoping that they finish repairs and have the students back in their classrooms in a matter of weeks. The roof, however, will require more serious attention.

Patch news partner Fox2 talked with Parkway Facilities Director Mike Mertens who described his reaction when he saw the damage.

“It was sort of a ‘Holy Cow!’ moment,” he remembered.  “The roof was just peeled off the building and was lying in the parking lot.  So, we knew we had a major problem.”

For now, Kelly said they will do a complete inspection of the building and then put on temporary roof that will hold until the summer, when a more permanent fix can be made.

There was no initial estimate for what the total cost of all the repairs will be, but Kelly said it will be covered by the district’s property insurance policy. 

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  • Spring Storm Damages Spirit of St. Louis Airport


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