Superintendent Alvin Garrison announced that Latonia Elementary students will return to in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 13, at their current school. All Covington students, with the exception of those attending Latonia Elementary, will return to in-person instruction on Monday, January 12.
Structural Systems Repair Group (SSRG) and Advantage Structural Engineers are nearing completion of emergency stabilization and controlled demolition at Latonia Elementary School following the New Year’s Eve roof collapse in the gym. Under Advantage’s direction, SSRG mobilized within hours, on a holiday weekend, to assess conditions, stabilize the structure, and ensure the school could safely reopen.
“We are pleased with the work that is being done at Latonia Elementary School and excited to see our students back in the building next week,” said Superintendent Garrison. “We know that students learn best in the classroom and we are confident that Latonia Elementary School is a safe place to learn.”
Crews installed shoring towers, braced exterior walls, and safely removed the solar array from the compromised roof. Controlled demolition of the damaged gym structure has also been completed.
“This is what SSRG is known for — responding to the toughest situations with speed, expertise, and a commitment to student and public safety,” said Bryan Erickson, president of SSRG.
Over the past week, Advantage has been working closely with Covington Independent Public Schools, the Covington Fire Department, and Planning and Development Services of Kenton County to make the building safe for students and staff to return to school. This work includes stabilizing the remaining gym structure, conducting a structural assessment of the main school building, and securing the area affected by the collapse. Advantage’s assessment of the main school building has not uncovered any concerns with structure, and the building has been verified to not have been jeopardized by the partial collapse of the gym roof. It should be understood that the gym structure and the main school structure
are two different structural systems that do not share the same characteristics, materials, or design.
Therefore, whatever the cause of the collapse, it does not correlate directly to the main school building structure.
Advantage Structural Engineers will conduct the final structural assessment, confirming that the building is safe for temporary occupancy. Remaining work, including weatherproofing and securing the affected area for the coming months, is expected to be finished by the end of the week.
Servpro is cleaning Latonia Elementary, with the focus shifting to Phase 2 (Final Cleaning) to remove any debris that may have been spread through the HVAC system. This is being done using HEPA vacuums and cloths. Servpro is continuing to consult with multiple parties, including school representatives, insurance personnel, safety contractors, engineers, and the local fire department, to develop a plan to prepare the school for students on January 13.
Latonia Elementary families are invited to attend an open house at the school on Monday, January 12, beginning at 3 p.m. Administrators and engineers will be available from 4:15 to 5 p.m. to answer questions and share updates on the completed work. Student safety remains the top priority.
Garrison said in a press release, “We want families to feel confident that our school buildings are safe.”
Covington Independent Schools will continue coordinating with firms as long-term repair plans move forward.
Covington Independent Schools