Quick take
- The move of Blanchard Elementary’s pre-K through second grade students to Donnie Bickham Middle School, set for January, is now planned for August 2027, school officials announced Thu., Nov. 5, KTBS reported.
- Those students will finish the 2026-27 school year at Blanchard Elementary.
- Officials say construction of the new elementary wing at Donnie Bickham is going well, but road improvements, including a planned connection between Highway 1 and Old Mooringsport Road, are taking longer than expected.
- Third graders already moved to the Donnie Bickham campus earlier this school year, KEEL reported. Families will get more updates as construction continues.
Blanchard Elementary’s youngest students will stay at their school for the rest of this school year. The planned move of pre-K through second grade students to a new elementary wing at Donnie Bickham Middle School has been pushed from January to August 2027, Caddo school officials announced Thursday, Nov. 5, KTBS reported.
School leaders sent families a notice about the change, KEEL reported. Third graders already moved to the Donnie Bickham campus earlier this school year, according to KEEL.
Why the delay
Officials say work on the new elementary wing is moving along, but road improvements are taking longer than expected. That includes a planned connection between Highway 1 and Old Mooringsport Road. School leaders cited safety and readiness as reasons to wait, KEEL reported.
What it means for families
- Pre-K through second grade students will finish the school year at Blanchard Elementary instead of moving in the middle of the year.
- The district says families will get more updates as construction continues.
- Officials also said the extra months give students, staff, alumni and families time to celebrate Blanchard Elementary’s history before the move.
KEEL reported that no decision has been made about what will happen to the Blanchard Elementary building.