Arlington ISD has student outreach teams meeting with families who may need help connecting for classes after Thanksgiving break Monday. The Red Cross says 80 homes were damaged or destroyed in the tornado Tuesday night.
Arlington ISD was on Thanksgiving break all of last week. The district is using a "hybrid" system, combining remote and in-person learning for students.
The district has outreach teams reaching out to families who may need help connecting for online classes as a result of damage.
"We're making sure they do have working computers if they're virtual learners, that they've got an internet connection if they're staying, maybe, in a temporary shelter somewhere," says Arlington ISD Anita Foster.
Foster says the teams are also making sure kids have other supplies they need, including toiletries and winter coats. Parts of North Texas hit freezing Monday morning. The National Weather Service predicts a widespread freeze across the area Monday night and Tuesday morning.
"We're in winter season. It's cold, and our kids have lost their homes, which means, in many cases, they've lost their clothing, shoes and backpacks," Foster says. "We are going to be able to assist with some of those items. We have a very robust network of partners we work with, too."
Arlington ISD is urging parents who need help connecting or with supplies to contact their school principal by emailing
studentoutreach@aisd.net.
"Under ordinary circumstances when a storm would hit, we would know those students would come to school, we'd be able to help them," says Arlington ISD's Anita Foster. "But we were at holiday break, and we've got kids who are virtual learners this year."
Arlington ISD says no schools were damaged in the storm, but the tornado did damage the district's service center, damaging a laundry facility, knocking over a radio tower, and fencing that was blown over damaged several district vehicles.
