Como-Pickton CISD to finish storm damage repairs before school year
COMO, Texas (KLTV) - 11th hour repairs are being made as one East Texas school district prepares for students to return to classes after they saw heavy damage from a late spring storm.
Schools across East Texas are starting a new year, but perhaps none had more to do in preparation than Como-Pickton Consolidated ISD in Hopkins County. Work is feverishly going on at Como-Pickton, knowing time is running short.
“Everyone is tired, working hard, but our school will be ready,” said Superintendent Dr. Greg Bower.
With only five days left until the students return, the last work to make the campus ready is being done now. Practically every building and structure on campus was damaged by June storms.
The district put an enormous amount of time and resources into repairing all the buildings in time for the Aug. 15 beginning of classes.
“You got cranes here, sky lifts, sky tracks here,” Bower said.
The student to teacher ratio is 11-to-1, and teachers will pass on to students what it took to get ready.
“It teaches them an adversity you can overcome, and we just adapt and change and overcome and do what we have to do to get them ready and keep them learning, and that’s what we’re going to do,” said third grade teacher Dusty O’Bryan.
Adjustments had to be made for school rooms and buildings to store athletic equipment in.
“We’ve got some temporary container units up there that have air conditioning, got lockers in them,” the superintendent said.
Other air-conditioners had to be replaced.
“We lost about 40 air conditioner units,” said Bower.
The annual district luncheon today at Pickton Tabernacle Baptist Church was more about what the school accomplished.
“They lost far more that just books and papers and pads and pencils. Anything we can do to show them they’re appreciated, that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Pastor Mike Haun.
“We’re almost there. Folks really step up when you need them most,” Bower said.
Como-Pickton has an enrollment of about 750 students. Other damaged areas not crucial to teaching students will be repaired as needed. Because of damage to their stadium, the school’s football team will play home games at Winnsboro’s stadium as the schedule allows.
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