An unidentified worker extends a cherry picker to a missing bank of third-floor windows on the facade of Soldan High School on Sunday May 18, 2025, in the 800 block of Union Boulevard in 51黑料. The school was one of several 51黑料 Public Schools damaged beyond use by Friday's tornado.
ST. LOUIS 鈥 Six city schools will not reopen this fall after a tornado devastated parts of north and central 51黑料.
51黑料 Public Schools said they鈥檙e 鈥渞e-housing鈥 students who attended schools in some of the hardest-hit areas, with no definitive timeline on when the schools may reopen.
Nearly 3,400 students, or about 20% of the district鈥檚 total enrollment, were relocated to other buildings immediately after the tornado on May 16 when 12 schools were deemed unsafe for the last week of classes.
About 2,000 students are affected by the fall reassignments.
Students will move to the following schools:
- Ashland Elementary students will go to Jefferson Elementary.
- Hickey Elementary students will go to Walbridge Elementary.
- Washington Montessori students will go to Ames Visual and Performing Arts Elementary.
- Yeatman-Liddell Middle students will go to Gateway Middle.
- Soldan International Studies High students will go to Gateway STEM High.
- Sumner High students will go to Clyde C. Miller College Prep.
- Programs at Beaumont Technical Center in the city鈥檚 Greater Ville neighborhood will move to Clyde C. Miller College Prep.
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Dewey Elementary, Bryan Hill Elementary, Pamoja Preparatory, Columbia Elementary and Blewett Middle only endured power outages and are ready for reentry, the district said.
Plans were already underway to close under-enrolled schools by fall 2026. But the May 16 tornado may have expedited the process.
Each of the six reassigned schools were already far below their capacities. On the lowest end, Soldan鈥檚 enrollment of 338 students was only 27% of what the building could handle. Hickey Elementary, with 272 students, was at 68% capacity, according to a district-wide .
Charles Poole, executive director of communications for SLPS, said there鈥檚 currently no potential for any of the damaged schools to close permanently.
In a statement, district officials said an assessment of damaged buildings took several factors into account, including 鈥渙ngoing insurance matters鈥 and construction repairs.
Many of the schools in north 51黑料 lost windows or suffered severe roof damage.
Initial costs were expected to reach up to $1.8 million.
Blythe Bernhard of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Here's a look at the news two weeks after an EF-3 tornado hit areas of 51黑料 on May 16, 2025. Video by Allie Schallert, Post-Dispatch
