To support students and staff, the district brought in extra counselors and therapy dogs. A hallway was even lined with backpacks to help those in need.
KERRVILLE, Texas — Kerrville ISD returned to school on Wednesday. But this new school year is different.
Superintendent Brent Ringo said the school district, which is made up of 4,600 students, is facing adversity. But he said the community is resilient.
“Our schools are a beacon of hope and resiliency,” Ringo said.
In the aftermath of the devastating flooding, the school district wanted to see how students and staff were impacted by the floods. Ringo said it affected 70 of their families.
“We knew we had employees who lost homes,” Ringo said. “We lost our Teacher of the Year, tragically, along with his wife and two kids. We had employees lose family members.”
Tivy High School Principal Rick Sralla said, in recent weeks, the staff has leaned heavily on one another.
“We knew it was going to be a heavy return,” Sralla said. “We just wanted time to be together, to cry together and hug as we rolled into in-service.”
To support students and staff, the district brought in extra counselors and therapy dogs. A hallway was even lined with backpacks to help those in need.
“This isn’t just going to be about today,” Ringo said. “The grieving process is not one day or a week. I believe this is going to last months to years.”
When it comes to moving forward, the district is taking inspiration from Reece Zunker, the late Tivy coach and Teacher of the Year who died in the flooding with his family.
“His message to his team was always: ‘You will never walk alone,'” Ringo said. “We’ve been using that message in his honor.”
Looking ahead, Ringo said he believes this will be a great year, one the district will take day by day.
“We are going to get through this together,” he said.
During Tivy High School’s first Friday Night Lights football game of the season, the community will honor first responders for their efforts during the flooding.