Alvin ISD via Facebook
Students of Walt Disney Elementary are going back to school at a temporary facility after one of six tornadoes last week in the Houston area hit the school’s campus.
“Our top priority is the well-being of our students and staff,” Alvin ISD Superintendent Carol Nelson said in a statement. “We are committed to ensuring that their educational journey continues without interruption, even in the face of this unexpected tragedy.”
Disney Elementary students returning from the winter break will be attending school at the former Alvin Elementary campus. Alvin ISD spokesperson Renae Rives said parents have already been notified of changed bus routes for the different campus.
“We have worked very hard with our team to make sure that we minimize as much as possible, any kind of confusion for parents, anything like that,” she said. “We want to make this as smooth of a transition as possible.”
According to the district south of Houston, staff members worked to prepare the temporary facility so it can be used for teaching and learning.
“We had teams of recovery disaster people that came in and our own teams from Alvin ISD and have revitalized that building and have gotten it ready for our students,” Rives said. “We’re going to welcome them back and make them feel as comfortable as possible in the new facility.”
Rives said that for teachers, many of them lost school supplies they contributed to the classroom with their personal finances.
“Right after Christmas time, that’s very difficult for a teacher to abruptly have to re-purchase all this stuff,” she said.
Residents who would like to help can reach out to the Alvin ISD Education Foundation online. Rives said many teachers also have their own lists posted online of supplies that are still needed. Members of the community came together earlier this week to collect some new supplies as well.