HCISD staff and volunteers clear schools after record rainfall; district opens Monday

Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District officials said staff and volunteers worked through the weekend to remove water and debris from campuses after a severe rainstorm that district speakers described as nearly 20 inches over a 48-hour period.

The district’s facilities presenter, identified in remarks as Mr. Oster Tapia, told the Facilities and Safety Committee that most campuses had only minor water intrusion compared with prior floods, but Dishman Elementary saw the heaviest effects. Tapia said about half the Dishman campus experienced standing water, “anywhere from a half an inch to maybe an inch at the most,” and crews began cleanup as soon as roads were passable.

District leaders said the cleanup operation relied heavily on in‑house staff: custodians, maintenance workers, bus drivers and cafeteria staff. Tapia said roughly 30–50 people converged on affected campuses to mop, squeegee and pressure‑wash floors and exteriors, remove mud and debris, and make limited…