Greenville County Schools Remain Closed on Monday as Hurricane Helene Approaches

Greenville County Schools Closed Amid Hurricane Helene Response

Greenville, S.C. — As Hurricane Helene approaches and impacts the Upstate area, Greenville County Schools announced that they will remain closed on Monday. The decision comes after a thorough assessment of local conditions, which revealed numerous challenges to safe travel for students and staff.

Assessment Reveals Dangerous Conditions

On Friday, members of the district’s assessment team traveled over 9,000 miles to check on road safety in the area. During their inspections, they documented more than 1,500 issues that are currently making road conditions hazardous. These include dropped power lines, debris, closed bridges, sinkholes, and traffic signal outages. This extensive evaluation has contributed to the decision to keep students out of school on Monday.

Online Learning and Activities Cancelled

Due to the circumstances, the district also announced that there will be no eLearning taking place on Monday, a significant step given that more than half of the teachers in the district currently lack reliable internet access at home. Additionally, all scheduled activities and field trips for the day have been cancelled.

Future Plans for Students

The Greenville County Schools district plans to assess the situation further and will announce a decision on whether students will return to school on Tuesday by Monday afternoon. This wait-and-see approach is crucial as conditions may continue to evolve due to the hurricane.

Pickens County Schools to Resume Operations

In contrast, Pickens County Schools are set to resume normal operations on Monday. However, officials have noted that transportation staff will not use any roads deemed impassable. A comprehensive list of those roads will be shared with parents and guardians to keep them informed.

Community Preparedness

As the situation develops, the local communities are urged to remain vigilant. Parents are encouraged to monitor updates from their respective school districts to stay informed about any further changes brought on by Hurricane Helene.

In summary, Greenville County Schools will remain closed on Monday due to unsafe road conditions assessed over the weekend, while Pickens County Schools will move forward with normal operations, although not all roads may be accessible for transport. Residents are urged to exercise caution and stay tuned for updates as authorities continue to monitor the situation during the storm.