Fort Worth Independent School District announced that South Hi Mount Elementary will temporarily relocate after an on‑site engineering assessment uncovered cracks suggesting movement on the school’s north‑east end. The assessment, conducted on Tuesday, prompted district officials to clear the affected section and, by Friday, decide to move the entire school population as a precaution.
The elementary school, built in 1936, will shift to the vacant Western Hills Primary campus located at 8300 Mojave Trail, roughly ten minutes west of the original site. District officials say the Western Hills building offers sufficient space to house all South Hi Mount students and staff during the transition.
Principal Dr. Elizabeth Foreman White reassured families that the temporary site will provide a “consistent, welcoming, and engaging learning experience” throughout the move. Superintendent Dr. Peter Licata told Fox 4 that the district is “very fortunate and very thankful” for maintenance staff who identified the wall cracks, allowing engineers to shore up the structure before any safety risk to students.
To accommodate the relocation, the district adjusted the school calendar, adding two student holidays: Friday, Nov. 20, and Monday, Nov. 30. Classes are scheduled to resume on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at the Western Hills Primary building. Until the full move after the Thanksgiving break, students and staff will remain in the South Hi Mount building while the vacant campus is prepared.
Parents are invited to a meeting on Monday, Nov. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the South Hi Mount Elementary cafeteria to address concerns and answer questions about the relocation process.
What’s next: After the Thanksgiving break, the entire South Hi Mount Elementary population will transition to the Western Hills Primary campus for the remainder of the school year. The district will continue to monitor the original building and provide updates to families as work progresses.
Sources: fox4news.com
