BEAUMONT, Texas — Hamshire Fannett ISD students are set to report to all campuses today after being out of school for 12 days due to Tropical Storm Imelda.
The district received extensive damages to its middle and intermediate schools and some of its high school.
Starting today, students who normally attend the elementary and intermediate schools will be at the elementary schools. Middle and high school students will be at the high school facility.
School officials say the entire process to get children back into their regular classrooms will take six to eight weeks. The hope is to have everything back to normal before Christmas break.
"Everyone's ready for a more structured environment. Some sense of normalcy getting back to school and things like that," Hamshire Fannett Superintendent Dr. Dwaine Augustine said.
Imelda’s said to be difficult for both students and staff. The district is left with very limited teaching space.
Supplies that teachers have will need to be shared. Due to the district's needs, a representative from a local Wal-Mart gave a generous donation to Hamshire Fannett ISD.
Assistant Superintendent Jon Burris said he was approached by Doug Savant of Port Arthur Wal-Mart with a $1,000 school supply donation last Monday.
Burris said they're working toward getting ready for the students to be able to return for a full day by working with churches and separating some kids into the auditorium when they're not in the classroom.
Half of the regular school day, students will have instructional time, and the other half will be spent at one of several churches that have stepped up to help.
"Just be patient with us, we have a very good plan, it's going to be good and we're going to educate these kids," Burris said.
RELATED: Vidor ISD goes back to school Tuesday, 2 Beaumont ISD campuses still closed through Oct. 14
Read more from the district’s full statement Oct. 2, 2019