West Charlotte school floods ahead of fall semester, classes relocated for 8 weeks: CMS

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg elementary school, Charles H. Parker Academic Center, flooded, forcing students to start the new school year in a different school.

CMS says a pipe broke last week, causing severe flooding at the school.

That wasn’t enough time to make repairs before school starts back for students on August 26.

11-year-old Wilfredo Martinez doesn’t usually have to go far to get to school.

“I just walk, it doesn’t really take me a lot to go to school,” said Martinez, who will be a fifth grader at Charles H. Parker Academic Center.

He lives right across the street from the school, but this year he’ll start out in another school about three and a half miles away.

His dad is okay with the change.

“Esta bien,” said Martinez’s dad, who’s also named Wilfredo Martinez.

“He says it’s a good thing that I’m going to another school and not going to this one,” said his son.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools wouldn’t let Queen City News see the water damage or send us pictures, but they say it’s severe and will need extensive repairs.

Cleaning crews were out Friday as teachers came back for their first day.

“I was nervous to go to a new school where I wouldn’t know where my teacher is or things like that and I just felt worried because I didn’t know if my friends are going to be in that school too,” said Martinez.

He says he felt much better when he found out he wouldn’t be alone.

Everyone at his school will move with him to Bruns Avenue Elementary.

It’s a new school with 45 classrooms.

CMS says it has enough space for its students and the ones from Charles H. Parker.

“It’s just two months, but I just feel excited at the same time,” said Martinez.

He will have to ride the bus on days that his parents are working, but his dad says the most important part of school will happen, no matter where it happens.

“He said it’s good that I’m not losing classes because I’ve got to learn,” said Martinez about his dad’s goals for him.

Both schools will keep their same class schedules, as well as bus and lunch schedules at Bruns Avenue Elementary.

CMS says the changes will be in effect for at least 8 weeks while they make repairs to the flooding damage at Charles H. Parker Academic Center.

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