‘Chemical odor’ temporarily closes Shawnee Mission high school

MISSION, Kan. (KCTV) - The Shawnee Mission School District closed Horizons High School on Lamar Avenue in Mission on Wednesday, May 14, due to a chemical odor.

Horizons students were moved to nearby Shawnee Mission North on Johnson Drive in Overland Park for the day.

Makeshift classrooms were set up in the gymnasium.

School buses ran on the same schedule.

According to Shawnee Mission’s Chief Communications Officer, David Smith, the school was not shut down for safety reasons, but because of a strong odor worsening inside the school due to roofing work underway.

“When we realized there was an odor, we shut down the equipment that was pulling air into the building, making the odor worse. No one wants to be in a building that doesn’t smell good so it made sense to move to Shawnee Mission North, where we have space.”

Shawnee Mission’s Superintendent, Dr. Michael Schumacher, sent this email to parents ahead of Wednesday’s closure.

District s confirmed Horizons High School will hold classes again on Thursday at Shawnee Mission North High School. Horizons families will continue to receive email updates from the district.

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