St. Louis Public Schools will resume its community engagement events about school closures this fall after a hiatus.
The events dubbed Reimagining SLPS were meant to continue through the summer and return in September but were paused due to the May 16 tornado. The first of at least four events is scheduled for Oct. 20 at Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School in Grand Center.
“Our commitment remains unchanged, and that is to reimagine Saint Louis Public Schools with our families, staff, union partners, business leaders, and the City of St. Louis,” the statement reads. “Every child deserves access to a high-quality education that reflects their passions, strengths, and aspirations.”
SLPS temporarily closed six of its schools after they were damaged by the storm.
The schools include: Sumner High School, Yeatman-Lidell Middle School, Ashland Elementary, Hickey Elementary, Washington Montessori Elementary, Soldan International Studies High School and Beaumont High School, which housed some career and technical programs for high school students.
Students attending those schools were placed in other district schools.
District officials said that both the Federal and State Emergency Management Agencies have surveyed the schools, but it’s unclear when or if the schools will reopen.
SLPS is under increased scrutiny after the first of a two-part state audit revealed the district is headed towards a massive financial deficit if additional cost-saving measures aren’t taken soon.
The district said it has spent nearly $70 million after the tornado to help stabilize buildings and provide additional support to families impacted by the storm.
In July, Superintendent Millicent Borishade presented a preliminary report penned by Cordogan, Clark & Associates that suggested closing 37 of the district’s schools.
In response, the American Federation of Teachers Local 420 has also organized an Education Summit on Oct. 1 at Vashon High School to discuss school closures.
“It’s time to rebirth and restore our public schools and bring them back to being the national innovators they used to be,” union President Ray Cummings said in a statement. “But first, the idea of closing these schools must be stopped by considering there are other alternatives.”
The teachers union passed a vote of no confidence in Borishade in August and has previously criticized the timing of the July report.
The union also said in its release that the closures would target mostly north city schools, a region of the city that has seen historic disinvestment.
Borishade has said repeatedly that she and the Board of Education have not made any final decisions about which schools may close.
