Mid-morning at Mitchell Elementary on Thursday, there was an uncharacteristic stillness on the playground and only a few vehicles in the parking lot.
The buzz of learning was elsewhere for the students, faculty and staff assigned to this far southeast Houston campus because there's mold and debris inside.
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Mitchell is one of seven Houston Independent School District campuses displaced by Harvey.
Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle
Debris sits where the front office used to be at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Debris sits where the front office used to be at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle
HISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva, left, and HISD Bond senior construction manager Sizwe Lewis, right, tour Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
lessHISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva, left, and HISD Bond senior construction manager Sizwe Lewis, right, tour Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with
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Mold grows under a whiteboard in a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Mold grows under a whiteboard in a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle
Mold grows in the closet of the office at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Mold grows in the closet of the office at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle
Paint peels up from on the walls in a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Paint peels up from on the walls in a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle
HISD Bond officer of construction services Derrick Sanders walks past a wall of mold as he leaves a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
lessHISD Bond officer of construction services Derrick Sanders walks past a wall of mold as he leaves a classroom at Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two
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HISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva stands in a demolished wing of Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
lessHISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva stands in a demolished wing of Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane
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HISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva walks past kitchen equipment sitting outside Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during Hurricane Harvey.
See other area schools hit hard by the storm's flooding
lessHISD security maintenance manager Rick Villanueva walks past kitchen equipment sitting outside Mitchell Elementary Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 in Houston. The school was flooded with about two feet of water during
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Four of the eight schools in Sheldon ISD - including C.E. King High School, shown here - were heavily damaged. The district will start school Sept. 18.
>> See photos of the worst damage to Houston-area schools and clean up efforts.
lessFour of the eight schools in Sheldon ISD - including C.E. King High School, shown here - were heavily damaged. The district will start school Sept. 18.
>> See photos of the worst damage to Houston-area
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A football field at C.E. King High School is shown flooded by rising waters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston.
A football field at C.E. King High School is shown flooded by rising waters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane on September 1.
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane on September 1.
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane September 1.
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane September 1.
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane on September 1.
Volunteers and students from C.E. King High School help to clean up the school after torrential rains caused widespread flooding in the area during Hurricane on September 1.
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Photo: Brookside Intermediate School
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Lemm Elementary School in Klein ISD was severely damaged in the storm.
Mary Pinales, with Blackmon Mooring, walks through Liberty High School, 6400 Southwest Fwy., where the walls were cut two feet up to dry out the school Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were damaged from flooding in the aftermath of Hurrican Harvey.
lessMary Pinales, with Blackmon Mooring, walks through Liberty High School, 6400 Southwest Fwy., where the walls were cut two feet up to dry out the school Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were
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Deshawn Bonner pulls a wooden bookcase from a classrooms as crews clean at Kolter Elementary, 9710 Runnymeade Dr., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were damaged from flooding in the aftermath of Hurrican Harvey.
lessDeshawn Bonner pulls a wooden bookcase from a classrooms as crews clean at Kolter Elementary, 9710 Runnymeade Dr., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were damaged from flooding in the aftermath
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Patrick Lawani, left, with Blackmon Mooring, and Albert Garcia, right, clear classrooms at Kolter Elementary, 9710 Runnymeade Dr., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were damaged from flooding in the aftermath of Hurrican Harvey.
lessPatrick Lawani, left, with Blackmon Mooring, and Albert Garcia, right, clear classrooms at Kolter Elementary, 9710 Runnymeade Dr., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston. Many schools were damaged from flooding in
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Student athletes from Hargrave High School helped with a variety of tasks at the Tropical Storm Harvey shelter at Copeland Elementary School in Huffman
Student athletes from Hargrave High School helped with a variety of tasks at the Tropical Storm Harvey shelter at Copeland Elementary School in Huffman
Photo: Mike McEachern
School supplies sit in a bin on the water covered floor of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
School supplies sit in a bin on the water covered floor of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle
Muddy footprints are seen during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
Muddy footprints are seen during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle
Holly Flynn Vilaseca, left, and Diana Davila, Houston Independent School District trustees, tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
lessHolly Flynn Vilaseca, left, and Diana Davila, Houston Independent School District trustees, tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in
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Debris is seen on the floor of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
Debris is seen on the floor of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle
Richard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a flood damaged classroom during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
lessRichard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a flood damaged classroom during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on
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Richard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a classroom inside the flood-damaged A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, during a tour of the school in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
lessRichard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a classroom inside the flood-damaged A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, during a tour of the school in the aftermath of Tropical
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Richard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a flood damaged classroom during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
lessRichard Carranza, Houston Independent School District superintendent, walks through a flood damaged classroom during a tour of A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, which was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, on
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Students walk the hallway between classes during the first day for students returning to school at The Woodlands College Park High School on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in The Woodlands. Students in the Conroe Independent School District returned to classes for the first time since Hurricane Harvey hit the area.
lessStudents walk the hallway between classes during the first day for students returning to school at The Woodlands College Park High School on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in The Woodlands. Students in the Conroe
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Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Houston Independent School District board trustee, walks out of flood-damaged A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, following a tour of the school in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey, on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessRhonda Skillern-Jones, Houston Independent School District board trustee, walks out of flood-damaged A.G. Hilliard Elementary School, following a tour of the school in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey, on
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A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
College of the Mainland had damage to several buildings, mostly carpets flooded and in some areas the ceiling tiles gave way under water weight.
People gather on the bleachers of a flooded high school football field near Lake Houston following Hurricane Harvey August 30.
People gather on the bleachers of a flooded high school football field near Lake Houston following Hurricane Harvey August 30.
A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
A tornado touched down near Ridge Point High School and caused severe damage to the surrounding area.
Harvey-displaced HISD campuses receive $4.7 million gift
On Thursday evening at the HISD school board meeting, Aramco Services announced a $4.7 million gift to the HISD Foundation to provide technology, tutoring and other resources for students displaced from the storm-clobbered campuses. The money will provide portable tools, such as iPads, that will enhance education even after Braeburn Elementary, Mitchell Elementary, Kolter Elementary and Scarborough High rebuild; Robinson Elementary and Hilliard reopen and Liberty High transfers to a new space.
"One of our key pillars for our social responsibility is education," said Basil Abulhamayel,
president and CEO of Aramco Services. "We saw, obviously, people displaced from their homes and we saw kids displaced from school and that fell directly into one of the pillars that we like to always support to make sure people are getting a good education."
With a $3.7 million donation announced in October, the Houston-based business management subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company filled a similar insurance gap plus the cost of repairs for 176 flooded Houston Habitat for Humanity families in the Harrel Park and Greensbrook neighborhoods.
The organization also spent about $5 million to provide in-kind relief immediately after the August storm, the CEO said. That was done by deploying employees to buy and deliver food, water, baby formula, diapers and other necessities to local shelters.
"We worked in helping people get back into their homes and we said we also need to get the kids back to school, which is equally important," Abulhamayel added. "Having the building is one thing, but having all the tools and all the resources in the building is really what's key to getting kids back on educational track."
At Thursday's meeting, HISD trustees are expected to be asked to vote on building new elevated campuses instead of repairing Braeburn Elementary, Mitchell Elementary, Kolter Elementary and Scarborough High.
In the months since Harvey, the HISD Foundation has received $12 million in donations for storm relief. That figure includes the Aramco gift, $4 million from a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous, as well as numerous six-figure corporate contributions, according to Ann Best Scott, HISD's chief development officer and the foundation's executive director.
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Harvey-displaced-HISD-campuses-receive-4-7-12431688.php
