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Kankakee SD 111 reports widespread storm, tornado damage to roofs, gyms and buses; district seeks insurance and relief
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Summary
District finance staff told the board that multiple school roofs and numerous vehicles were damaged or likely totaled by recent hail and tornadoes; officials said nine roofs may be total losses, gyms and athletic facilities were affected, and the district will prioritize repairs, work with insurers and pursue disaster assistance as needed.
Kankakee SD 111 officials told the school board that recent storms and a tornado caused widespread damage to district buildings and vehicles, including ‘‘thousands and thousands of holes’’ in the high school roof and severe harm to transportation equipment.
In a finance update, the district’s finance presenter said the high school roof was ‘‘almost destroyed’’ with interior leaks and that the main gym floor has warped and is closed. The presenter said multiple buildings—Aroma Park and others—sustained roof and interior damage; an engineer will assess structural concerns in at least one gym. ‘‘Nine of the roofs are probably total,’’ the presenter said, adding that the district will have to prioritize replacements.
The presenter also described heavy damage to the district’s vehicle fleet. ‘‘Most of our driver ed vehicles, our security vehicles are most likely totaled,’’ the presenter said, and noted that many 15-passenger vans and some buses were seriously damaged; escape hatches on buses cracked or have holes, creating immediate water-intrusion and safety concerns. Insurance adjusters have completed vehicle inspections and are finishing building reviews, the presenter said.
District leaders said they will file insurance claims, work with adjusters and submit information for potential disaster assistance so the broader area’s need can be evaluated. The presenter cautioned that some repairs may qualify for special funding if categorized as life-safety work and that the district cannot fix everything at once even if funds were available. Officials said they will present photos and more detailed site-by-site findings at a follow-up meeting.
A board member who lives in an affected neighborhood described seeing neighbors who ‘‘lost absolutely everything’’ and relayed an account that one neighbor’s insurer advised them to ‘‘walk away’’ and tear down what remained. Board leaders and staff also described a large community relief effort—local churches, other school districts and volunteer groups delivered pallets of water and donations, and the district set up food distribution and sheltering.
Next steps announced to the board include prioritizing emergency repairs, completing engineering assessments where structural risk is suspected, continuing insurance and adjuster coordination, and gathering documentation for any state or federal disaster assistance. The district asked the community to expect a more detailed update and photos at the next scheduled facilities briefing.
