Tomball, Cy-Fair ISD Ready To Return To Class

TOMBALL, TX — A stormy start to the 2017-2018 school year may have caused some delays, but officials in Tomball ISD are ready to reopen to all students and all staff on Sept 5.

Tomball ISD started classes on Aug. 21, and was forced to shut down for days as Hurricane Harvey pummeled the Gulf Coast.

"Our school district was fortunate to experience only minor damage due to Hurricane Harvey," sid Supterintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora. "We have inspected our schools and facilities, and have repaired a few minor issues related to the flooding."

Cy-Fair ISD was poised to open their doors on Aug. 28, but was denied by Harvey for a week. Officials there will open their doors for the official first day on Sept. 6.

Meanwhile, Mike Morath, commissioner for the Texas Education Agency, said school districts that start after Sept. 11 will need to apply for a waiver.

“The health, safety and welfare of the students, teachers, and staff of these affected school districts and charter schools is my priority,” Morath said in his memorandum. “While these additional days may not resolve all issues, it is my hope that this additional time will allow school districts and charter schools to address and remediate the damage and reopen by Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.”

Many of the larger school districts are still assessing their campuses and will be starting or resuming classes after Labor Day, while a few others will start later.
School districts starting before Sept 11 include:

• Friendswood ISD — Sept. 6
• Tomball ISD — Sept 5
• Pearland ISD — Sept 5
• Klein ISD — Sept. 6
• Conroe ISD — Sept 5
• Galveston ISD — Sept 5
• Alvin ISD — Sept. 6
• Cy Fair ISD — Sept 6
• Aldine ISD — Sept 7
• Montgomery ISD — Sept 5
• New Caney ISD — Sept 6
• Willis ISD — Sept 5
• Santa Fe ISD — Sept. 6
• Stafford MSD — Sept 7

School Districts returning on Sept. 11, 2017 include:

• Houston ISD
• Clear Creek ISD
• Spring ISD
• Dickinson ISD
• Fort Bend ISD
• Lamar CISD

As a result of this waiver, school systems in disaster counties that have missed school days as referenced above due to the hurricane will not have to make up those days on the school calendar, Morath said.

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