School operations staff and finance leaders told the Saint Louis Board of Education on Nov. 10 that short-term repairs could ready several tornado-damaged schools for occupancy in December, while more extensive repairs at heavily damaged sites will extend into late 2026.

Chief Watson and operations staff reviewed photos and scopes for Beaumont, Hickey, Washington Montessori, Yeatman and other sites. For many buildings, temporary window replacements, environmental remediation and targeted maintenance would allow safe reopening; the district indicated several schools could be ready by Dec. 12, 2025. For the most severely damaged properties (notably Ashland, Soldan and Sumner), long lead times for materials and substantial roof/window work mean an estimated December 2026 completion date.

Finance staff described multiple "lenses" for estimating costs: an early public estimate of roughly $77 million in damages; FEMA's mid-August walk-through estimate of about $5.5 million; and the district's insurer's estimate just north of $7 million. The presentation highlighted insurance deductibles and the district's potential out-of-pocket exposure for certain sites. The district said it has allocated about $1.5 million for emergency response and mitigation; approximately $1.2 million has been spent so far. Projected near-term FY26 expenditures include an estimated $400,000 for mover/relocation work and roughly $2.8 million in repairs for occupied, tornado-damaged schools (not including closed facilities). Chief Johnson said the district is tracking expenditures by site and funding source and will present budget-adjustment recommendations during the second-quarter review.

Operations staff described logistics and student-care issues that affect reopening, including transporting refrigerated medications, staffing nurse coverage, technology inventories and coordination with colocated schools. Walk-throughs with unions, principals and contractors are complete; an RFP for repair work was posted Nov. 3 and closes Nov. 19. Staff committed to weekly progress meetings, community-engagement events in neighborhood spaces, and providing progress photos to the board. Board members asked whether portions of some buildings could be occupied while repairs continue and asked for clearer communications to families; staff said those phased-occupancy options will be considered as proposals are finalized.

The board directed staff to bring a final reopening and funding proposal to the December work session and emphasized community outreach in neighborhoods affected by the damage.