Uvalde Mayor Says Robb Elementary School to Be Demolished

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/05/22

Mayor Don McLaughlin announced during a Uvalde Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, that Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, will be demolished in the wake of the shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers, according to national news.

“My understanding—and I had this discussion with the superintendent—is that the school will be demolished,” he said. “You can never ask a child to go back or a teacher to go back in that school, ever.” No further details on the timeline of the demolition were available.

Texas-based grocery store chain H-E-B and its owners, the Butt family, announced that they are committing $10 million toward the construction of a replacement facility. The donations were made to the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Moving Forward Foundation, Uvalde CISD’s new nonprofit arm.

The Texas Tribune reports that the district will hold open community meetings so that students and families can provide input on the new school’s design. The district is partnering with Fort Worth-based architecture firm Huckabee and San Antonio-based construction company Joeris on the new facility, and both companies will provide their services free of charge. The donation from the Butt family and H-E-B will go toward construction and planning materials.

“Our first store in Uvalde opened in 1959, and Uvalde people are our people,” said Charles Butt in a statement. “As we continue to mourn tremendous loss, I join with my family and H-E-B in working to ensure the Uvalde community can move forward from this tragic event. Our children are this country’s future, and our schools should be a safe place where children can thrive and envision new possibilities.”

The school district has also announced its plans for the coming school year. Robb Elementary School students will be relocated to two other schools within the district. Most students will relocate to Flores Elementary, home to most of the district’s fifth- and sixth-graders. Students entering second grade this fall will attend Dalton Elementary, home to students in pre-K through first grade.

“I’m just immensely grateful,” said Hal Harrell, Uvalde CISD superintendent. “Humanity showed up in a great big way…Our kids are our future, and the best foot forward is a great education. And I truly believe that this new building will go a long way in manifesting that for our students here in Uvalde.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Pfluger Architects Hires New Higher Ed Practice Leader

    Pfluger Architects, based in Houston, Texas, recently announced Christopher Laack as its new higher education practice leader, according to a news release. Laack has more than 20 years of experience as a licensed architect and most recently served as the Principal and Commercial Practice Leader for VLK Architects.

  • K12 Tutoring Earns Every Student Succeeds Act Level II Validation

    Personalized online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), according to a news release. The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring’s role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

  • Greenheck Debuts New Energy Recovery Ventilator

    Greenheck recently released a new energy recovery ventilator, the ERVi, designed for small indoor spaces like basements and mechanical rooms, according to a news release. The hardware can fit through a 30-inch door and be mounted on the ceiling for retrofit and decarbonization projects.

  • Nonprofit Launches Center to Boost Data-Driven Student Success Strategies

    National nonprofit Complete College America (CCA) recently launched the Center for Leadership, Institutional Metrics, and Best Practices (CLIMB), according to a news release. CLIMB’s ultimate purpose is to help higher-education institutions use data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes by providing tools, frameworks, and support.