An elementary school in Watauga that was badly damaged from Monday's storms will stay closed the rest of the week and next week.
Strong straight-line winds literally peeled back the roof off the 4th and 5th-grade wing of Grace Hardeman Elementary School.
Rainwater poured in, causing even more damage.
It happened after school hours around 6 p.m. on Monday, so no injuries were reported.
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"This is not anything that any of us would've wanted to deal with but we are. It could've been much worse and we're thankful that it wasn't,” said spokesman Mark Thomas with Birdville ISD.
Hardeman students were out of class on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, they returned to class at a temporary campus at the old Richland Elementary School in Richland Hills, about five miles away from Watauga.
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"It was so emotional when we went back to Hardeman seeing what happened to our school. For our students and our families, we just want them to know that all of us are here for them," said Wendy Teague, a P.E. teacher for Hardeman.
The aging Richland campus was closed in May as part of a bond project that combined the students with another campus in a brand new school nearby. The old building was being held by the district for potential future use, making it an ideal location for this situation, district officials said.
"Birdville ISD administration has been hands-down the most wonderful district to work for," said Teague. "It’s a blessing to work in such a district that they take care of their students, their teachers, and the parents."
Students from area high schools decorated the temporary campus with inspirational posters and other signs to welcome Hardeman students. Others joined in and helped clear the vacant building of storage and prepare it for classes.
Buses picked up students from Hardeman and transported them to Richland on Thursday. High school cheerleaders greeted the students while teachers and staff welcomed them in with open arms.
“I’m honestly grateful that they have somewhere to go to school. Because if we didn’t have this campus who knows what they would be doing," said Rebecca Edge, who has two children attending Hardeman Elementary. "I was honestly shocked at how quickly they put it together. And all the things the teachers are doing to make it welcoming and comfortable for the kids."
Posters around campus read "Camp Hardeman" in order to help students feel a little more normalcy during this transition.
“So our students feel like they are away on an adventure, instead of some thing that has been dramatic for them," said Teague. “When you walk down the halls, it doesn’t seem like three days ago or four days ago the school wasn’t even a school. It now feels like oh this is our home again."
Birdville ISD officials said Hardeman might be able to reopen on April 4 but that is subject to change depending on repairs. The building's electrical system needs to be checked to make sure there is no additional damage.
Check the district's social media pages for updates.
