Fort Worth ISD middle school campus 'unsafe for occupancy' after sustaining rain damage
Fort Worth ISD campus damaged by heavy rain
A middle school in Fort Worth ISD will need several weeks of repairs after recent storms caused damage to the building. FOX 4's Peyton Yager has more.
FORT WORTH, Texas - An under-construction Fort Worth ISD middle school sustained heavy enough damage during Thursday's storms that it must be closed for weeks of repairs, forcing students and staff to temporarily relocate to a new building.
Meacham Middle School damaged
What we know:
Dr. Peter Licata, the Superintendent of Fort Worth ISD, announced that Meacham Middle School's building will be shut down for several weeks.
The building's closure comes after heavy rainfall from Thursday's storms caused the building to be "unsafe for occupancy," according to Licata's letter.
Staff and students at Meacham Middle School will temporarily relocate to Briscoe Elementary School's building, which is currently unoccupied, while the repairs at the middle school take place.
Classes for Meacham Middle School students are canceled for Monday, Oct. 5, while staff moves over to the new building. Classes are expected to resume on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Dig deeper:
Meacham Middle School is currently undergoing renovations as part of Fort Worth ISD's 2021 bond program, with construction expected to be finished in the second quarter of 2027.
The school's building was also closed on Thursday and Friday due to flooding from this week's storms.
Briscoe Elementary School, where Meacham students and staff will relocate, is around 20 minutes south of the Meacham campus. It was closed at the end of the 2025-26 school year due to declining enrollment.
Licata says students will stay with their current teachers and remain enrolled in the same courses during the change. Meacham's principal says students will be offered bus rides from the Meacham campus to the Briscoe campus during the temporary move.
What they're saying:
"There was flooding. There was water in the light fixtures."
Roxanne Martinez, the elected School Board Trustee for FWISD District 9, does not hold power on the school board due to the state takeover of the district, but she still hears from parents.
"To drive across town to Briscoe is a major concern for parents," Martinez tells FOX 4's Peyton Yager. She said other schools were considered, but only Briscoe had a building large enough to hold Meacham's more than 500 students.
"I hope the district will be sending more information because parents are filled with questions and concerns."
Roxanne Martinez
What's next:
Classes for Meacham students at Briscoe Elementary School will start on October 6.
On Saturday, October 3, Meacham parents will meet at Diamond Hill High School at noon.
The Source: Information in this story comes from Fort Worth ISD.