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 described as non-friable.
- Contracted a regional environmental firm and additional specialists for comprehensive building-wide testing and abatement planning. The district reported it is following OSHA and EPA testing protocols, an accredited lab (Eurofins) performed analyses, and the district is coordinating with the Cleveland Division of Air Quality and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
- Relocated Roxbury classes to the children’s wing at Parkside Church. The superintendent said Parkside Church and Pastor Dan offered space and the district has worked with the church to adapt the space for school days, keeping the regular schedule (8:00–2:30), meals and specials in modified formats.
- Implemented security and safety procedures at the temporary site, including additional police presence, locked perimeter entrances and the Raptor visitor-management system.
- Committed to public transparency via a Roxbury hub on the district website that will host testing results, AHERA compliance documentation and FAQs.

Board action and legal authority
The board approved an emergency authorization allowing the superintendent and treasurer to take necessary measures for Roxbury, including closures, testing, remediation and securing alternate space. The motion was moved by Mister Heckman, seconded by Missus Barksdale, and approved by roll call (all members voting yes).

The board separately approved an emergency resolution to waive statutory bidding requirements for response contracts under state law. That motion was moved by Mister Heckman, seconded by Missus Barksdale, and approved by roll call (all members voting yes). The superintendent said the waiver is intended to allow timely contracting for remediation and services that may exceed the $75,000 bid threshold.

Details, timeline and next steps
- Tests performed: environmental consultant performed air and debris sampling after roof work; August 30 testing date; results returned early September and the district notified Sept. 6. The superintendent said the district's last full AHERA (asbestos) inspection was 2022 and the district is due for reinspection this year.
- Open house: the district scheduled a Roxbury open house at Parkside Church from 6–7 p.m. on Sept. 17 for families to view the temporary classrooms and ask questions.
- Materials and operations: because the Roxbury building is closed, the district is awaiting environmental clearance to retrieve classroom materials; meanwhile staff recreated instructional materials for the temporary site.
- Attendance and calendar: the superintendent said the district has enough instructional days in the calendar so the five missed days will not require summer make-up days at this time.

Community reaction and supports
Several district leaders thanked Parkside Church and other buildings that hosted special-needs classrooms. The superintendent invited families to use the Roxbury hub for documents and updates and said the district is preparing a comprehensive public report once testing and abatement recommendations are complete.

What the board said
Board members praised the administrative team's rapid response and said they will be kept apprised of expenditures and results. The superintendent said legal and occupational-health consultants are engaged to inform abatement and health guidance.

Ending
The district said it will not permit a return to Roxbury until environmental consultants and testing confirm the building is safe and all testing results will be made public. The board approved the emergency authorizations to allow the district to proceed with abatement and emergency contracts immediately.