say moving schools in the middle of the school year will be disruptive
Many parents who live in Vineyard Ranch, Rogers Ranch, and other neighborhoods near Huebner Road and Loop 1604 are angry because the North East School District says two new elementary schools which had been slated to open when the school year begins in August will not be ready on time, 1200 WOAI news reports.
Plans were to have Vineyard Ranch and Las Lomas Elementary Schools open on August 27th.
North East ISD Superintendenr Brian Gottardy wrote parents in the area on Wednesday to inform them that “due to circumstances beyond the control fo the district, the general contractor has encountered several set backs, including the default of key subcontractors, finishing both schools in their entirety for an August 27th opening will not happen.”
The response among parents was instant and angry.
“That means that in one year’s time, my incoming fifth grader wil have to move schools three times, two elementary schools and then off to middle school,” one parent told 1200 WOAI news. “This is incredibly disruptive, and parents are very angry. We opted to attend the new school understanding it would be finished. We do not want our children split among three schools.”
Gottardy says studnets who had planned to attend the two new schools will instead by spread over five existing schools until the new buildigns are ready for occupancy. Gottardy did not say in his letter when that might be.
Gottardy says similar problems occurred when Stone Oak Elementary was opened, and he says the transition went off without a hitch.
“The school district will not compromise quality or waive contract terms for the sake of completing the schools on a particulare date,” he said.
