Union Hill ISD elementary school damaged by severe weather

GILMER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that the Union Hill ISD near Gilmer cancelled classes on Monday and Tuesday after the awning at the front of their elementary school collapsed during recent severe weather.

“I would like to say that it looks way worse than what it is,” Union Hill ISD Superintendent John Booth said on Monday. “… the front of the school was was damaged, but the structure of the elementary was not damaged.”

According to Booth, the district’s junior high and high school campuses were undamaged except for some damage to the roof of their gymnasium. Once class resumes on Wednesday, Union Hill ISD elementary school students will have their classrooms changed to rooms in the high school and junior high until the elementary school can be cleaned up.

Parents will now have to drop off elementary students in the courtyard in front of the high school. Booth explained that buses will now unload in front of the school’s library.

“So there’s going to be a change parents,” Booth said. “I know this time of year it’s terrible to try to change habits, but we’ll have hopefully have people out and cones and be able to direct traffic so that you’ll know where to go.”

Booth stressed that after school resumes on Wednesday, April 9, they’ll also have class on Thursday and Friday before they return to their normal school schedule next week.

“Thank you for your time and hopefully some patience as we make these transitions. They’re always tough, especially for little ones,” Booth said. “We’re going to be as as deliberate as we can as far as taking care of our little ones.”