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Parent raises repeated ceiling collapses at Little Mountain Elementary; facilities staff report work-order backlog
Summary
A community member told the board the district experienced about 10 classrooms with ceilings fall this school year due to flooding; custodial and facilities staff reported open work orders and said repair time varies by damage type.
At the board’s public forum on April 28, resident Jaron Cannon urged the board to address repeated building failures at Little Mountain Elementary School, saying roughly 10 classrooms experienced ceilings falling this school year and several staff members have been displaced.
"It's almost like you walk into a school like Russian roulette, if you're gonna have a ceiling that day," Cannon said, describing a ceiling collapse he witnessed. He said the district had installed a new fire alarm system and door alarms but called ceiling failures “major” and requested faster repairs. Cannon said three staff members had been displaced by flooding and ceiling collapses and that equipment from a remediation contractor (Servpro) had been moved into the nurses’ office, displacing the nurse.
Facilities staff later reported to the board that repair timing depends on the damage. In the work-orders report, the district recorded 19 new requests for March, 340 work orders completed with an average completion time of five days, and 104 open work orders averaging 36 days in age as of April 22. Facilities said some repairs require drying and assessment before replacement; carpeted rooms need more remediation than hard floors and scope varies with cause (sprinkler, storm damage, etc.).
Why it matters: repeated ceiling collapses and displaced staff affect daily instruction, student and staff safety, and the district’s ability to deliver consistent services. Public commenters and board members tied facility complaints to custodial performance and the need for clearer tracking and faster remediation.
Board follow-up and context: custodial management described a notebook system placed in buildings so teachers can record recurring cleaning or maintenance concerns; the facilities supervisor said the notebooks help identify which shifts or staff assignments are missing tasks. Board members asked for more specific timelines for extensive repairs (for example, full ceiling or roof replacements) and raised questions about whether classrooms remain usable while drying and repairs occur. Facilities staff said replacement timing “depends on the circumstance” and may take multiple days to a week or longer when drying and flooring replacement are required.
