What started as a routine school board meeting at Southeast High School in Palmyra Township turned into a cleanup operation for the ages after powerful winds on Tuesday tore part of the gym roof clean off and flooded the court below.
By midweek, crews had already begun ripping out the gym floor, a surface district leaders say was only a couple of years old. Water pooled across the hardwood after the roof gave way, and several student vehicles in the parking lot were struck by falling debris. School officials said no students or staff were inside the gym when the roof blew off, a small mercy in what could have been a much worse scene.
Superintendent Bob Dunn told News 5 Cleveland that board members "heard this loud wind sound" during their meeting and later stepped outside to find sections of the gym roof scattered across the lot. Inside, crews discovered up to an inch of water sitting on the court, and Dunn said the soaked floor is unlikely to be salvaged.
Storm Warnings And Local Impact
The damage hit as a line of severe thunderstorms rolled across northern Ohio on Tuesday, triggering Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and a flood advisory for parts of Portage County, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland. Statewide briefings the same day warned of damaging winds and localized flooding strong enough to topple trees and rip roofing from buildings, per Spectrum News 1 Ohio.
Damage, Insurance And Repairs
District officials say their insurance carrier has signed off on removing and replacing the ruined gym floor and will also cover damage to students’ vehicles. Crews have already started pulling up the saturated hardwood, as reported by News 5 Cleveland. Dunn noted that "gym floors, once the water starts seeping in, it's very hard to save them," and district leaders say they are aiming to have a new floor installed by August to be ready for upcoming sports seasons.
In the meantime, some camps, dances and performances that would typically be held in the gym have been moved or relocated while repairs move forward.
Families are being asked to keep an eye on official district channels for updates. Contact information and announcements are posted on the district website at Southeast Local Schools, where officials say they will share timelines for repairs and building access as cleanup and contracting progress.
