Katy ISD will have to relocate a second school's students when classes resume Monday, Sept. 11.
Bear Creek Elementary School students will be transferred to Paetow High School at 23111 Stockdick School Road, Katy, the district's newest high school. Creech Elementary School students are also being relocated to the University of Houston's Cinco Ranch campus due to flood damage.
"The elementary students will be housed in the east tower of the campus, currently unoccupied by secondary students," district spokesperson Maria DiPetta said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
Flooding at a nearby wastewater plant and lift pumps have caused water usage restrictions in the area. The restrictions limit Bear Creek Elementary's access to drinking and wastewater, although the school remains intact, the statement said.
The statement did not specify which lift pumps and wastewater treatment facility were inundated by flooding but the school is part of Harris County Utility District No. 6, which uses the Jackrabbit Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Harris County UD No. 6 said Sept. 1 that the district was under a boil-water notice as the Jackrabbit plant was underwater.
Updated 3:15 p.m. Sept. 6
Katy ISD announced it will relocate students from Creech Elementary School to the University of Houston System Cinco Ranch campus at 4242 S. Mason Road, Katy. Students will report to the college when classes resume on Monday, Sept. 11, after Hurricane Harvey forced a districtwide closure on Aug. 25.
Creech Elementary will close its campus for the "foreseeable future," the district said in its announcement.
"With the campus having taken on several feet of flood water, the conditions near and around the school have prevented Katy ISD operations crews from conducting a full assessment of the building," a KISD announcement said. "Katy ISD anticipates that an extended amount of time will be required to fully evaluate campus building structures, conduct air and mold tests, and make restoration repairs."
Creech Elementary had 886 students enrolled in the 2016-17 school year, according to the TEA. UHS Cinco Ranch is approximately 1.2 miles northeast of the school.
Updated 12:30 p.m. Sept. 6
Katy ISD released more details Wednesday about its school buildings that were damaged in Hurricane Harvey. According to district spokesperson Maria DiPetta, Creech Elementary and Beck Junior High schools had more extensive damage while Bear Creek Elementary School saw minor water intrusion.
The district closed Aug. 25 and plans to reopen Sept. 11.
Creech Elementary School, which is located in Cinco Ranch west of the Barker Reservoir and between two forks of Buffalo Bayou, required air quality and mold testing as well as other safety reviews. The school is located at 5905 South Mason Road, Katy, and DiPetta said that surrounding neighborhood conditions prevented our crews from fully assessing the building.
"Katy ISD is working on a plan to relocate students and staff and will notify families of the alternate campus site by the end of the day on Wednesday, September 6," she said in the announcement.
See the impact of flooding on the school and surrounding neighborhood, as of Wednesday.
Operations crews at Bear Creek Elementary, 4815 Hickory Downs Drive, Houston, are testing mechanical and electrical systems. Repairs were expected to be completed by week's end, DiPetta said.
The school is located east of Hwy. 6 and north of Clay Road, northwest of the Addicks Reservoir. The maps below show how flood water changed the area's landscapes as of Wednesday.
Beck Junior High School is being assessed by operations crews and remediated for damage due to water coming in through the building’s roof, skylights and a construction site within the building, DiPetta said in the announcement.
Mechanical and electrical systems testing, as well as air quality and mold testing, are underway to determine whether the building, located at 5200 South Fry Road, Katy, can reopen Sept. 11.
Updated 10:45 p.m. Aug. 31
Katy ISD will remain closed until Sept. 11, as limited staff and the anticipated impact of Tropical Storm Harvey on district families motivated leaders to postpone classes.
The district released a statement late Thursday from Superintendent Lance Hindt, which said that Creech Elementary, 5905 South Mason Road, Katy, and Beck Junior High schools, 5200 South Fry Road, Katy, suffered severe water damage needing significant repairs.
Fourteen other KISD campuses are located within neighborhoods that were flooded, however the statement said such schools were found to be intact.
"We currently have crews working to repair structures so that the majority of our facilities will be ready when students return," Hindt said in his statement. "More information about schools impacted by floods, waived absences, resources available to families affected by the storm, and other frequently asked questions will be distributed to parents and guardians by the end of this week."
District staff who can get to their respective campus safely are being asked to do so by Sept. 6. KISD said that personnel will be instructed to be mindful of students who were displaced or otherwise affected by Harvey's flooding, according to the statement.
KISD also created a photo album on its Facebook page of flood damage and relief efforts in the district over the past week.
Updated 8:15 a.m. Thursday Aug. 31
Thursday morning, Katy ISD provided corrected information about the state of its campuses previously thought to have water damage from Tropical Storm Harvey.
District spokesperson Maria DiPetta said crews had not yet examined the full extent of water damage at Bear Creek Elementary School, Creech Elementary School, and Beck Junior High School.
DiPetta also said that Mayde Creek Elementary, Mayde Creek Junior High and Mayde Creek High schools did not have water intrusion as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. However, crews will begin further examining those and all other KISD campuses Friday, she said.
"Finally, while it is anticipated that schools will re-open next week, the safety of students traveling to and from our schools, along with ensuring the safety of building structures, is our number one priority," DiPetta said. "We will be updating the community on the status of school openings later this week once crews have completed their assessments."
The district also announced Thursday that it would begin minimizing shelter operations at Cinco Ranch High School, 3440 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy, in order to prepare for classes on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
The district said it is partnering with the Fellowship at Cinco Ranch, 22765 Westheimer Parkway, Katy, to assist people still in need of shelter. KISD's two information hotlines also remain open Thursday: 281-396-2368 and 281-396-2363.
Updated 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30
At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Katy ISD began consolidating its shelter resources and evacuees to Cinco Ranch High School. Both that location and Morton Ranch High School had been at capacity since Monday when KISD first opened them as shelters.
District spokesperson Maria DiPetta said the decision was made to start transporting people to one location because the overall number of people at the shelters was dropping. She was unsure whether the district would reopen Morton Ranch High School as a shelter if needed.
In addition, DiPetta reported that some KISD schools had suffered flooding damage from Tropical Storm Harvey, including schools close to Mayde Creek which overflowed its banks:
- A 200-men work crew is assessing the damage at the Education Support Complex.
- Creech Elementary School took in significant water.
- Operations personnel could not access Beck Junior High School as of 12:46 p.m. Wednesday, but flooding in the surrounding community indicated the building is likewise affected.
- Mayde Creek Elementary, Mayde Creek Junior High and Mayde Creek High schools all took in water.
Updated: 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29
Due to a surge of donations and aspiring volunteers as Tropical Storm Harvey hovers over the Greater Houston area, Katy ISD opened two phone hotlines for people to call for information. District spokesperson Maria DiPetta said that KISD's needs are in flux and that people should call before bringing any items to shelters or before coming to volunteer.
The hotlines are 281-396-2368 and 281-396-2363 and will be open from 6 a.m.-2 a.m. daily.
Less than 24 hours after KISD opened Cinco Ranch and Morton Ranch high schools as shelters for flooding evacuees Monday, both locations reached their 1,000-person capacities. But DiPetta said district school buses have still taken nearby residents to the shelters as well as to community centers and churches that remain open.
She said the routes are monitored by the Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department. The district also announced at 4:23 p.m. that its website was back online, after it went down around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The district has been closed since Friday and reported that water had entered its administration building Monday. DiPetta said Tuesday that the Merrell Center next door, which was being used as a staging area for rescue agencies, had also taken on water.
Meanwhile, no schools have been flooded but DiPetta said the situation could change at any moment, particularly for schools near Mayde Creek and the Barker and Addicks reservoirs on the east side of KISD.
For transportation and staff reasons, no other schools have been opened as shelters.
"It's those two things: getting to these schools is too dangerous and manning these schools is another big issue," DiPetta said.
More KISD information can be found at www.katyisd.org, on Facebook and on Twitter.
Updated 4:46 p.m. Aug. 28
Two Katy ISD schools that opened as shelters for flooding victims Monday have reached capacity, the district announced at 4:19 p.m.
Morton Ranch and Cinco Ranch high schools were opened at 7:30 a.m. and by the time of the alert, each had more than 1,000 people, according to district spokesperson Maria DiPetta. People still seeking shelter are encouraged to check the American Red Cross’ website as well as the #HarveyRelief online map.
Updated 12:50 p.m. Aug. 28
School buses began bringing people to Morton Ranch and Cinco Ranch high schools in Katy ISD on Monday morning, which are being used as shelters and providing meals for those displaced by Tropical Storm Harvey's flooding.
District spokesperson Maria DiPetta said both locations are also accepting pets, but she asked that people bring their animals' registration paperwork and a kennel if they have one.
"The good thing is we canceled school for a week so we have a lot of food at both of these schools," she said.
DiPetta said the district purposely opened campuses at the north and south ends of town to try and serve as many families as possible whose children would normally receive free or reduced meals at school. She said no district campuses had reported flooding as of Monday morning, but some locations near Mayde and Bear creeks were at risk for high water.
Meanwhile, water was reported to have entered KISD's administration building at 6301 S. Stadium Lane, Katy. The Merrill Center next door, as well as Legacy Stadium at Franz and Katy Fort Bend roads, are being used as impromptu staging areas for various relief agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Texas Department of Transportation and the National Guard, DiPetta said.
KISD has closed until Sept. 5, and the district's board of trustees meeting was last rescheduled for Aug. 31.
Published 11:20 p.m. Aug 27
Late Sunday evening, Katy ISD announced it would open two schools on the north and south sides of the district as shelters for those affected by Tropical Storm Harvey. The district has closed school until Sept. 5.
Morton Ranch and Cinco Ranch high schools will open at 7: 30 a.m. Monday, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner during the day. Morton Ranch High is located at 21000 Franz Road, Katy, and Cinco Ranch High is located at 23440 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy.
"While families are encouraged to remain vigilant and take precautions as hazardous conditions evolve, community members who are able and would like to donate blankets, pillows or towels, may do so by dropping items off at either high school," KISD said. "These items will be accepted on site for those taking shelter at MRHS and CRHS beginning at 7:30 a.m."
Due to the district's pre-planned closure, KISD has a surplus of food available. Staff will assist families at either location, the district said.
KISD parents and students are still encouraged to check their district applications, follow the district on social media or go to www.katyisd.org for updates.
