KATY MAGAZINE NEWS - Katy, Texas
September 8, 2017
Bear Creek Elementary Students and Staff will be Relocated to Paetow High
Neighborhoods surrounding Bear Creek Elementary suffered severe flooding last week. While the school was left intact, the local service provider has placed restrictions on water usage, as nearby lift pumps, along with the waste water treatment plant were compromised by the storm.
These restrictions will limit the school’s access to water and waste treatment. As such, Bear Creek Elementary students and staff will be transferred to Paetow High School, located at 23111 Stockdick School Rd., Katy, TX, for the reopening of schools on September 11. Paetow is Katy ISD’s newest high school which opened its doors this fall to two grade levels - freshman and sophomore classes. The elementary students will be housed in the east tower of the campus, currently unoccupied by secondary students.
Transportation for all Bear Creek Elementary zoned students will be provided, should they need it. Information regarding routes, pick up and drop off times/locations will be emailed to parents before Monday.
In the meantime, operations crews have completed their mechanical and electrical assessments, which met all standards. Since there was no flood water intrusion within the building, Bear Creek students and staff will be returning to a safe and secure learning environment once restrictions are removed by the local service provider.
“Students and staff are our highest priority during this recovery process,” said Superintendent Lance Hindt. “Though the relocation for Bear Creek students is temporary, multiple Katy ISD departments are working vigorously to make this a smooth transition for everyone, both now and when students and staff are able to return to their school.”
Katy ISD closed the district on August 25 in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey. Following the storm, the District announced that 16 campuses had been impacted by flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. One campus, Creech Elementary took on several feet of water and arrangements have since been made for students and staff to be relocated to the University of Houston Cinco Ranch campus while repairs are being made at the school. Bear Creek Elementary will be the second school to relocate as a result of Tropical Storm Harvey. The remaining 14 schools have cleared building assessments and will reopen in their home locations this Monday.
Schools reopen across Katy ISD on September 11.