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A Statement from the Board of Education

April 11, 2017 -- In order to keep our students and staff “warm, safe and dry” and because of recent interior leaks at Shaker Heights Middle School, the District plans to replace portions of roofing at SMS this summer. The Board voted April 11 to approve spending up to $1.56 million on the partial replacement project.

The roof leaks and repair options were explored at the Board’s March 20 meeting. The roof replacements are necessitated by (1) recent leaks which have allowed water into the building, damaging ceiling tiles and disrupting education (2) overall age, deterioration and multiple existing patches of the flat roofing that eliminate the option of partial repairs, and (3) the basic necessity of keeping our students and staff in facilities which are conducive to education. Because of recent discussions regarding replacement of the Middle School, the Board requested extensive information on options that could reduce costs and still meet our basic requirements. Unfortunately, multiple experts advised the District that, because of their age and condition, there are no viable short-term or partial remedies and the flat roof portions need to be replaced now.

While many in the community believe we need to continue our discussions regarding the long-term future of the Middle School and explore the possibility of replacing the entire building at some future date using a mix of private philanthropy and public funding, the building remains one of our educational facilities and will continue to serve students and staff for at least the immediate future. Until there is a new plan to upgrade the Middle School building with broad community support and adequate private and State funding, the Board will continue to act in a prudent manner to keep it, like all our facilities, in a condition appropriate for the education of our students.

The flat roofs to be replaced are delineated in documents posted on BoardDocs and generally include the cafeteria, perimeter of the auditorium, perimeter along Shaker Boulevard, and wing corridors. Project contractor Garland/DBS, Inc., participates in an Ohio communities joint purchasing consortium with preapproved pricing. The new roof portions will have a 20-year warranty.