Thousands of students head back to class across STL region

ST. LOUIS - Thousands of students in the St. Louis region return to classrooms on Monday, marking the start of the new school year.

The return to school is particularly significant for the St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) students, as the May 16 tornado damaged several school buildings, necessitating relocations for many students.

According to St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), schools will temporarily relocate here for the ‘25-26 school year:

• Ashland elementary students will be housed at Jefferson Elementary
• Hickey Elementary students will be housed at Walbridge Elementary
• Washington Montessori students will be housed at Ames visual and Performing Arts Elementary
• Yeatman-Liddell middle students will be housed at Gateway Middle School
• Soldan International Studies high students will be housed at Gateway Stem High
• Sumner high students will be housed at Clyde C. Miller College Prep Academy
• Programs at Beaumont Technical Center will be housed at Clyde C. Miller College prep academy

For SLPS, the theme for the school year is new horizons, according to SLPS Superintendent Dr. Millicent Borishade. She says the year is about embracing change, finding opportunity, and making sure every student feels supported, no matter the challenge.

SLPS leaders have spent the summer preparing for these transitions by setting up classrooms and introducing new buses through a partnership with the transportation company, Zum.

Through the new partnership, SLPS has introduced nearly 250 new air-conditioned buses equipped with technology upgrades to enhance student safety and provide parents with real-time tracking capabilities. The new system aims to reduce late pickups and make the school commute safer and less stressful for students and parents.

In addition to SLPS, more than 25 other districts in the St. Louis area are beginning their school year on Monday. The Hazelwood School District is the second largest district in St. Louis County, with over 16,000 students enrolled across 32 campuses.

As the new school year kicks off, SLPS and other districts in the St. Louis area are committed to providing a stable and supportive educational environment for all students.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.