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The district’s Captain Elementary and Wydown Middle schools remained without power Sunday, and streets, sidewalks and campuses had not been fully cleared of debris and hazards.

The last day of school for Clayton’s 2,500 students is May 30.

The storm hit Friday afternoon during school hours and spawned a tornado that touched down in Clayton and swept through Forest Park and a wide swath of north St. Louis. At least 15 schools were in the direct path, but all staff and students are believed to be safe.

“We understand the emotional toll this devastating event has taken, especially on our students. Once we are back in school, we will be working closely with staff to provide support for students as they process and recover from this experience,� reads a note to parents from Superintendent Nisha Patel.

University City High and Jackson Park Elementary, which straddle Balson Avenue, will also be closed Monday because of ongoing power outages in the schools and the surrounding neighborhood, according to University City Superintendent Sharonica Hardin-Bartley.

Hundreds of students in north St. Louis are expected to relocate Monday after 12 schools were damaged or are still without power. Transportation will not be available to students because of storm damage at the depot of First Student, the district's primary bus vendor. 

Leaders in St. Louis Public Schools scrambled over the weekend to reassign students and staff to different schools. Thursday is the scheduled last day of classes for the 2024-25 school year.

The schools that experienced damage from fallen trees, broken windows or missing shingles include Ashland, Bryan Hill, Columbia, Dewey, Hamilton, Hickey, Pamoja and Washington Montessori elementary schools; Yeatman-Liddell Middle School; Blewett alternative school; and Soldan and Sumner high schools.

All of the schools were in the path of the tornado that swept through neighborhoods including Fountain Park, Kingsway East and the Ville. Students and staff took shelter and were safe when the storm hit close to dismissal time.

Many SLPS students and staff members also suffered damage to their homes or lost power. More than 45,000 households in the St. Louis region remained without power as of Sunday afternoon.

Cleanup efforts continued Sunday at Washington University’s main Danforth Campus, which experienced moderate damage from debris and downed trees. Power has been restored to most buildings, although some streets around the campus are still partially or fully closed because of trees blocking the roadways.

The neighboring Fontbonne University in Clayton will be closed Monday after suffering “significant damage ... including many downed trees, damaged roofs, and windows that have been blown out,� according to a message from President Nancy Blattner.