Mysterious Symptoms Reported Among Elementary School Students

Students at a recently reopened Lakewood school have reported nosebleeds, headaches and dizziness, raising questions about what could be causing them.

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Emily Nguyen

Emily Nguyen is a Staff Writer at Long Beach Classic, covering local news, community events, restaurants, business openings, arts and culture, and neighborhood stories throughout Long Beach.
Monroe Elementary School in Lakewood reopened in August 2026 after being closed for 13 years. Students have since reported unexplained symptoms, including nosebleeds, headaches and dizziness.

Students at Monroe Elementary School in Lakewood have reported a series of unexplained symptoms, including nosebleeds, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. The reports have raised concerns about conditions inside a campus that reopened earlier this year after sitting closed for more than a decade.

While the cause of the symptoms remains unknown, questions about the school’s indoor environment have become a growing concern for families.

A School That Had Been Closed for 13 Years

Monroe Elementary, located at 4400 Ladoga Avenue in Lakewood, closed in 2013 as part of budget cuts and declining enrollment across the Long Beach Unified School District.

The campus reopened in August 2026 to temporarily accommodate students from Patrick Henry Elementary School while their regular campus undergoes renovations.

Shortly after the move, reports began emerging of students experiencing unusual symptoms during the school day.

The timing has raised questions about the condition of the building and whether its indoor environment could be contributing to the symptoms. However, there is no confirmed connection between the school’s lengthy closure and the health complaints.

What Did Environmental Testing Find?

Environmental testing conducted at the school identified unusually high classroom temperatures and elevated humidity.

Temperatures were documented reaching as high as 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit, conditions that can contribute to discomfort, dehydration, headaches and dizziness.

The school was also evaluated for possible mold concerns. Initial findings did not identify an indoor mold source or evidence of water damage, although additional testing was recommended.

Those findings have left an important question unanswered: Are the symptoms related to conditions inside the school, or is something else responsible?

Parents Want More Answers

Concerns about the symptoms have led families to question whether enough has been done to evaluate the campus.

Parents gathered outside the school on October 16 to call for additional testing and greater transparency about the findings.

The Long Beach Unified School District has maintained that the initial environmental assessment did not identify an indoor mold source or water damage and has indicated that further testing is not planned.

Still, the absence of a confirmed cause has left some families concerned about sending their children back into the same classrooms.

What Could Be Causing the Symptoms?

Headaches, dizziness and fatigue can have several possible causes, including excessive heat, dehydration and poor indoor environmental conditions. Nosebleeds can also occur for various reasons, including nasal irritation and dryness.

However, experiencing similar symptoms does not necessarily mean students share the same underlying condition.

At this point, no specific illness, environmental contaminant or other single cause has been confirmed.

For now, the situation at Monroe Elementary remains unresolved, with families seeking answers about why students began reporting symptoms after returning to a campus that had been closed for 13 years.

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