Schools set remote learning for Friday as Helene approaches
By DEUCE NIVEN
tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com
Public schools in the Columbus and Horry county districts will move to remote learning plans on Friday, Sept. 27, as Hurricane Helene’s impacts are expected to extend well beyond landfall in Florida Thursday evening, into the Carolinas.
Both districts announced remote learning plans by mid-day Thursday. Both referenced the “potential for hazardous weather” and said there will also be no extracurricular school activities on Friday. Those, the HCS announcement said, “will or have been rescheduled.”
Remote instruction “applies to both students and staff,” the CCS announcement said. “Schools will provide details regarding assignments.”
For coastal Horry, the weather threat appears a bit more severe, Thursday morning National Weather Service forecasts and models show. The HCS announcement said “Horry County is under a tropical storm warning and could see wind gusts up to or in excess of 40 MPH winds on Friday morning, with safety concerns involving student transportation cited as the reason for calling an eLearning day.
“All HCS employees will work remotely, with the exception of school-based nutrition services staff, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers, the announcement said. “School-based nutrition services staff, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers will not report to work but will be allowed to make up the day based on schedules provided by their supervisors.”
Forecast
A major hurricane, Helene is expected to make landfall “near the Florida Big Bend this evening,” bulletin from the NWS office in Wilmington Thursday morning said. “Due to its large physical size, effects will be felt far away from the storm center, especially to its east.
“Local impacts will include gusty winds, some area flooding, isolated tornadoes, and dangerous surf conditions.”
This story will be updated as events warrant, with coverage of the storm and its aftermath in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune, in print and online.
