Widergren
Columbia County School District officials look to reopen schools this week as quickly as it is safe for students, faculty and staff to return to campus.
During Sunday’s Hurricane Helene county emergency operations center update meeting, officials were briefed on improving road conditions, improving power restorations and the delivery of increasing quantities of rescue supplies and also heard the reopening plan from school district officials.
Columbia Assistant Superintendent Todd Widergren told the officials in attendance that while all district classroom buildings are closed on Monday, school administrators and maintenance employees will be combing through the buildings on each campus and inspecting them.
“We will evaluate each building for any structural damage and check all the A/C units on Monday,” Widergren said. “Our goal will be to come back on Tuesday, but we will make sure things are OK.”
District officials will make a determination about classes on Tuesday and make an official announcement one way or another sometime Monday.
Like most of the public school districts in North Florida, Columbia was closed Thursday and Friday dealing with the approach and aftermath of Hurricane Helene last week. Many in the district still do not have electricity at their homes Sunday evening and into the early hours of Monday this week and several of the school buildings just regained power late this weekend. Structural inspections will begin early Monday.