INGRAM, Texas – When historic flooding struck Ingram on the Fourth of July, the local school district faced an unprecedented crisis.
But instead of buckling under pressure, Ingram Independent School District transformed into a vital community hub, supporting flood response efforts before successfully launching its new academic year.
The flooding, which caused extensive damage to the district’s administrative offices and security fences, tested the mettle of newly appointed interim Superintendent Mindy Curran, who had been in her position for just one week when disaster struck.
“You didn’t slow down to think about, you just had to do what you needed to do,” Curran said. “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, just keep powering forward.”
As floodwaters from the normally placid Guadalupe River surged across campus, the school quickly adapted to serve multiple critical roles in the community’s emergency response. The facility became a reunification center for separated families, a distribution point for essential supplies and a rest stop for first responders and volunteers.
“We are in west Kerr, where the mass of this occurred, and outside of our site there really isn’t a large site for that kind of thing, so we had to step in,” Curran explained.
Return to learning
The flood’s impact on school infrastructure was significant, with the administration building bearing the brunt of the damage.
Located directly across from the Guadalupe River, the building’s contents were destroyed when floodwaters breached the facility. Several security fences were also damaged in the disaster.
Despite these setbacks, administrators maintained their focus on reopening.
“While it was an intricate part of our operations, we’re all adults and we can figure it out, and we have and we’re making it work,” Curran said.
The first day of classes marked a turning point for the community, with students and staff eager to return to normal routines.
“So normal, so good. Our students were so glad to be here, and our staff were glad to be here. You could see that and sense that,” Curran said.
The district has adopted “The Best Year Yet” as its theme for the academic year, reflecting an optimistic outlook despite recent challenges. This spirit of resilience appears to be resonating throughout the school community.
“The majority of people are inherently good and love other people, and that is exactly what you see here in our community,” Curran said.
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