Students and staff returned to Lomond Elementary School Feb. 20 after a two-day closure to enable staff to relocate classes to avoid an unsafe area of the building.
A pre-renovation visit from structural engineers revealed foundational damage on the building’s northeast corner near the parking lot entrance to the school. The engineers recommended that staff and students stay out of the area until the foundation is repaired, a project that may continue for the rest of the school year.
The district posted a message on shaker.org Feb. 18 to alert families of the closure. The district called the reason for closure “a facilities issue.”
The school currently has 448 students enrolled and a capacity of 521 students. Lomond was constructed in 1928, and additions were built in 1958 and 1971. “The 1958 wing of Lomond is where they found what they thought was some structural instability,” said Dr. John Morris, president of the Shaker Heights Teachers’ Association.
“I went over there yesterday to talk to members, with concerns about, I guess, what we’ll call the reorganization right now of Lomond,” Morris said Feb. 18.
At least four classes and two offices were forced to relocate.
Kat Ekeberg, parent of Lomond fifth-grade and second-grade students, said her fifth-grade daughter’s class is affected. “They will be adding one of the other fifth-grade classes to her room, so essentially two fifth-grade classes in one room,” she said. “That is the room my daughter travels to for two of her subjects, but is not her homeroom class.”
Ekeberg attended a Feb.12 meet the architects event at the school. “After seeing and hearing about building issues, I’m not at all surprised that they found foundation issues,” she said. “It makes me sad because I love our buildings and their history and character. But it does have me wondering if renovations are truly the best option for us in Shaker.”
The Feb. 12 meeting kicked off the design stage of Lomond’s renovation. In November 2023, voters passed Issue 13, which provides $121.1 million worth of bonds for renovation of the district’s pre-K though eighth-grade buildings. The current budget for the Lomond renovation, anticipated to begin in the summer of 2027, is $15,653,762. The foundation damage must be resolved before then.
Ekeberg, an SHHS graduate, said the situation highlights what she considers to be a communication gap between district leadership and the broader community. “I think the district could do better at letting people know the actual conditions of these buildings, and the community needs to show up when these things are being discussed,” she said.
About 30 people attended the Feb. 12 meeting, she said.
Morrs said the age of the schools poses challenges. “I think there’s always unknown variables when you start looking at buildings that are 100 years old, some in excess of 100 years. So I hope this is all we find, but I don’t think that’s an absolute,” he said.
Morris said the closures were necessary. “It’s really important not to bring anyone into the building until it’s learning ready,” he said. “I give the district credit for acting with extreme caution.”
