UPDATE: Classes at Alderete Middle School, Canutillo Elementary, Davenport Elementary and Damian Elementary will resume as normal on Thursday, Jan. 15, according to a Facebook post by Canutillo ISD.
“The District has worked closely with El Paso Water, Texas Gas, and El Paso Electric to ensure the utility issues that disrupted instruction today will not impact classes tomorrow. All repairs affecting our schools are scheduled to be completed by tonight. Thank you to our students and parents for your cooperation and patience during these unforeseen circumstances beyond our control,” read the post.
ORIGINAL: EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A handful of schools belonging to Canutillo Independent School District were canceled on Wednesday, Jan. 14, after a power outage, a water main break, and a potential gas issue occurred near the schools, officials said.
Classes at Alderete Middle, Damian, Canutillo, and Deanna Davenport elementary schools have been canceled for the remainder of Wednesday.
El Paso Water crews are responding to the incident at the Davenport campus, which prompted school administrators to dismiss students for the day out of an abundance of caution.
Parents were notified that they may pick up their children directly from the school. Any students not picked up by 10:15 a.m. will be transported by bus to Childress Elementary, where they will remain for the rest of the school day. This includes students enrolled in the ACE after-school program. Parents can pick up students from Childress Elementary after that time.
School officials said updates will be shared as more information becomes available and thanked families for their patience and understanding, noting the situation was beyond the school’s control.
Shortly after, school district officials reported a potential gas issue at both Alderete Middle and Canutillo Elementary schools. School officials advised that students could be picked up at their respective campuses.
Any student not picked up by 11:15 a.m. will be taken to the new Alderete Middle School gym, which has been cleared as safe by the Texas Gas Company, and will have to stay there for the rest of the day.
Traditional bus routes will begin at 11:15 a.m. and should take no more than one hour to reach their regular stops. Any student not picked up by a parent or guardian at the bus stop will be returned to the new Alderete Middle School gym, where they may be picked up at any time until dismissal.
Canutillo ISD maintenance crews detected a gas odor in the area but found no leak. Texas Gas is conducting a thorough investigation, which is expected to take several hours before the campuses can be cleared.
Just after 2 p.m., the school district also reported a power outage at Damian Elementary School, leaving the campus without electricity or phone service. A power outage affecting more than 100 customers in El Paso’s West and in the Upper Valley was reported.
Jacob Reyes with El Paso Electric told KTSM that a truck hit the wires. Power was restored as of 2:44 p.m.