Columbia, Suwannee and Lafayette all close schools through at least Thursday

Columbia County Schools will be closed Thursday following power outages and road closures caused by Hurricane Idalia.

Superintendent Alex Cardwell issued a statement Wednesday afternoon after the storm passed.

“All Columbia County Schools will be closed tomorrow, August 31, 2023,” Cardwell said. “Many residents are without power and our shelters cannot send people home until they have power. Most dirt roads are not drivable therefore buses will not be able to run their routes. We want all of our students and staff to be safe and focus on their homes and restoring them back to normal. At this time all schools will operate as normal on Friday, September 1, 2023.”

Suwannee County, which was hit harder by the storm, announced there will be no school until further notice.

“Due to the conditions experienced from Hurricane Idalia, and aftermath of the storm, there will be no school until further notice,” Suwannee County School said in a statement. “All before school and after school activities and practices are postponed until further notice. Continue to be safe and best wishes to everyone for a speedy recovery.”

Lafayette County also announced that schools will be closed through at least Labor Day.