KINGWOOD, Texas – Kingwood High School students and teachers are turning a new page after Hurricane Harvey displaced students for months.
Humble Independent School District held an open house for parents and students to see the new school before they begin class after spring break.
“To walk through those doors, to see how it is now compared to how it was back in August after Harvey, it warms my heart,” said 16-year-old junior Ella Worth.
For students like Worth, things at Kingwood High School finally feel right.
“I’m home where I’m supposed to be,” Worth said.
Worth was standing in the new foyer of Kingwood High School, a place that was once devastated by Harvey just before the start of school. Kingwood High School flooded overnight on Aug. 28, which was originally planned as the first day of school for the 2017-2018 school year.
“We shared a campus with one of our sister schools, Summer Creek High School, which was tremendously gracious, and (they) opened their arms to us,” Kingwood Principal Dr. Ted Landry said. “They went to school in the morning and then we went to school in the afternoon.”
Many students and families dealt with having to drive to a new school 30 minutes out of the way and creating new plans and schedules to accommodate for the changes.
“At first it, was hard because I’ve been here for three years practically, and having to move schools and having a new schedule and to have a new environment totally it was kind of a hard transition,” Worth said.
However, after nearly seven months after Harvey, the newly renovated Kingwood High School has opened its doors. Student will attend class Monday after a week of spring break.
“We didn’t think it would happen this year, but having this soon is fantastic,” said Worth’s father, Ed Penry.
The school still has precious aspects of the “old” building, including the popular statue of an old mustang, “Mustang Spirit,” dedicated to former principal Andrew L. Wells.
The school also has an upgraded security system and a secured front entrance.
The first and second floods have new classrooms, flexible-use desks, new computers, equipment and lockers. The carpet has all been replaced with new bright flooring.
The gym has also been redone.
“This is an entirely new gym floor, new graphics. It just looks gorgeous,” Landry said.
Meanwhile, some teachers spent spring break prepping their classes for school on Monday.
“I’d like to have everything ready to go. No surprises,” said Donna Bridger, a sophomore English teacher.
Many families spent time taking pictures and reminiscing on how far the community has come.
“I just feel like crying because it’s a celebration,” parent Collette Remkes said.
“Oh it’s beautiful. They’ve done a great job. They’ve kept the old and brought in the new. It looks great,” said Worth’s mother, Rebecca Penry.
“I’m excited for the fact that I’ll be able to create brand new memories for the last of the school year,” Worth said.
Humble ISD will also be hosting a public KHS grand reopening March 24 at the school from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.