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 repairs such as replacing wet ceiling tiles and fixing isolated roof leaks. At several sites crews also used pumps to clear standing water in parking lots and athletic fields.

Why it matters: the district prioritized reopening campuses for instruction on the next scheduled school day. Administrators told the committee that the immediate cleanup work and coordination with utility partners helped restore power and environmental systems quickly, allowing many schools to open on Monday.

Supporting details and examples: custodial and maintenance teams used backhoes to remove a fallen ash tree at Lamar and to clear debris. Tapia said some campuses that traditionally flood, such as Wilson Elementary, did not experience interior flooding but did require large debris removal from parking lots to avoid tracking mud inside. At Keys baseball and softball fields, facility circuits and lights shorted and required electrical repair for scheduled games. Kano Academy experienced an outage that district staff said was restored late Saturday or early Sunday so HVAC systems could run overnight to dry buildings.

District tracking of displaced students and staff: Tapia and staff reported the district compiled a shared spreadsheet of students and employees who were displaced or had urgent needs. At the committee meeting Dalia (surname not specified in transcript) reported the list exceeded 100 entries and was still growing as campuses continue to submit data; the list is being used to prioritize relief and wraparound support.

Health and safety: Board members asked about injuries; Tapia and other leaders said they had not received reports of students or staff being physically injured during the storm, though many households suffered property damage, vehicle loss and temporary displacement. Board members and administrators emphasized counseling and social‑emotional supports will be available for students and staff affected by the event.

Community response and relief: the board and administrators thanked custodians, maintenance crews, drivers and volunteers, and described district relief operations. The district activated mobile relief units and a clothing/relief distribution effort; administrators said they received donations of food, clothing and cleaning supplies and encouraged community contributions via the district website. Board members and the superintendent asked families to contact campus counselors if students need additional support.

Outlook and next steps: district staff said most damage was limited to cleanup and minor repairs; any remaining repairs will be scheduled through usual facility maintenance channels. Administrators noted recovery will take weeks for some families and the district will continue to track needs and distribute relief.

Ending: Board members repeatedly credited district staff, volunteers and community partners for rapid response; the district said it will continue relief and case‑management efforts for affected families.