Spring ISD announced Friday it has delayed the reopening of its schools until Sept. 11, citing a need to give families more time to recover from the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

District employees will return on Sept. 7, according to a statement released by the district on Friday.

“We want to get our students back into the classrooms as soon as possible to help provide the first step toward normalcy,” Spring ISD Superintendent Rodney Watson said. “We know how important the routine of a school day will be to helping our families heal and recover, but we also need to ensure our teachers and staff are ready, and they too are dealing with the loss of their homes and belongings.”

The Spring ISD Education Foundation is accepting donations for its Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to help district students and employees recover from damage incurred by the storm. The donations will be distributed in the form of small grants, officials said. The tax-deductible donations can be made at the website give2springkids.org by clicking on the "Hurricane Harvey Donation" button.

The district also has created a webpage to address frequently asked questions that will be updated regularly, officials said.

On Friday afternoon, Klein ISD announced students will return to the district on Sept. 6, one day later than previously announced. Staff will return to schools on Sept. 5. Students at Lemm Elementary School will report to Klein Cain High School on Sept. 7.