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Seven public schools in north St. Louis were damaged during the May tornado. Sumner High School suffered significant roof damage and is closed this fall. Its alumni are worried that the district may prolong the repairs and that students may never return.

The district will have to redraw boundaries to better distribute students across its remaining buildings before the 2026-27 school year.

Superintendent Tanya Patton made the recommendation to the Board of Education due to the building’s high remodeling cost and declining student enrollment.

The district notified families on Tuesday that some storm-damaged schools will not be ready to reopen in time for the first day of school on Aug. 18.

The May 16 tornado damaged 12 buildings in the district, resulting in nearly $1.8 million in initial costs.

The archdiocese had previously moved to close the school in 2022 due to low student enrollment, but community support kept doors open.

The number of students heading to college is projected to decline after this fall. The financial impact is putting some Missouri institutions at risk.

School boards in the Ferguson-Florissant and Riverview Garden school districts retain most incumbent leaders to bring stability as they navigate financial uncertainty.

Three seats are up for grabs for the April 8 election. The St. Louis Board of Education is in charge of governing one of the largest public school districts in the region.

The St. Louis Public Schools superintendent announced the news to teachers and staff during professional development meetings on Friday.