Carpenter Elementary School at PfISD not ready for first day of school Aug. 12

Two schools within Pflugerville ISD will not be ready for students by the first day of school Aug. 12.

PfISD Superintendent Doug Killian sent a letter to parents Aug. 11 stating Carpenter Elementary School students and Bohls Middle School sixth graders will begin classes for the 2021-22 school year Aug. 16.

"I am sorry for the short notice on this sudden change," Killian said in the letter. "Unfortunately, construction of Carpenter Elementary came down to the wire, and unexpected, last-minute strokes of bad luck will keep the building from completion before the first day of school. While we believe we could push through and force a start date on Thursday, we want to make sure the campus is a truly safe and orderly environment for your students and staff on their first day on campus."

To make up for the two lost days of instruction, Carpenter Elementary will adjust its bell schedule for the entirety of the 2021-22 school year, the letter stated.

Each school day will begin three minutes early and conclude two minutes late, creating an extra five minutes Killian said should make up for the lost time and meet the number of hours required by Texas.

"As Bohls Middle School was to house its 6th-grade students at Carpenter Elementary temporarily, this means we will also pause the start of 6th-grade classes. Bohls Middle School 7th and 8th graders will start their school year Thursday, Aug. 12, at Cele Middle School as planned," Killian said in the letter. "When Carpenter students start class next week, we will follow the originally announced plan of welcoming the Bohls 6th graders. We will continue in this way until the Bohls Middle School campus is complete and ready to welcome its Broncos through the front door for the first time."