Vidor ISD would like to invite residents to the Community Opening for the new Oak Forest Elementary Campus.
It will be held on Thursday, January 5, 2023, from 5-6:30 PM at the Oak Forest Elementary Campus at 2400 Highway 12 in Vidor.
In 2017, Tropical Storm Harvey destroyed Vidor Middle School and Oak Forest Elementary. Due to the destruction wrought by the flooding of this storm, students from both schools had to learn from portable buildings.
Oak Forest Elementary staff and students are set to move into their new campus on January 9, 2023.
According to 12NewsNow, Oak Forest Principal Devan Dart says having new technology and space for kids to learn will be so beneficial. “When we transition, just going to different classes, we are outside. So, when kids are outside, they get distracted, plus when it’s raining or cold. It will be different once we are all under one roof,” Dart said.
FEMA approved the funds to tear down and rebuild both campuses in September 2018. Most of the money it will take to rebuild the schools is coming from FEMA. In 2019, Vidor ISD received a $1 million grant from Rebuild Texas Fund. The organization helps communities in Texas rebuild after Harvey and focuses on smaller communities.
Many gathered as the Vidor Independent School District broke ground on a new middle school in June 2021. District officials said they received almost $19 million for the project.