Solon schools close Roxbury Elementary after asbestos detected; district relocates students to Parkside Church

The Solon City Board of Education on Sept. 15 authorized emergency measures after environmental testing detected elevated asbestos in the area of a recent roofing project at Roxbury Elementary School.

Superintendent (unnamed) told the board the district learned of an elevated asbestos air sample in a room under the construction zone after tests performed Aug. 30 were reported to the district on Sept. 5 and communicated Sept. 6. The superintendent said the district immediately closed the building, expanded testing and began a multi-agency response: "We're not going to return to Roxbury until comprehensive testing confirms that it is safe," the superintendent said.

Why it matters: Roxbury is closed while the district pursues abatement and testing; students are receiving in-person instruction at an off-site location and the district has invoked emergency contracting authority to respond quickly.

What the district has done so far - Closed Roxbury Elementary and sealed off the suspected area in the wing under the roofing work. The superintendent said initial debris samples and air samples from other wings have tested negative; one roof drain sample in the same wing tested positive but was…