Bladen County Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said Wednesday that it’s uncertain when the system’s 13 schools will reopen for students and staff in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Schools are closed this week and, Taylor said, it’s possible schools may not reopen until Oct. 24, although he’s hopeful for an earlier reopening.
As of Wednesday afternoon, four schools still were without power, Taylor said. East Bladen High School continues to be used as an emergency shelter.
“Because of the restrictions to road travel, loss of power, and incomplete assessments of all schools, a decision was made to close school for students for the entire week of October 10,” Taylor said in a news release. “With the aforementioned conditions and concerns, it is possible that students may not return to school until late into next week, and possibly not until October 24, although we hope this is not the case.”
Among the concerns is the safe transportation of students, Taylor said. Until waters from the Cape Fear River recede, the school system is not able to assess road conditions.
“Bladen County Schools Transportation Department is working with DOT to obtain road information so that bus rerouting can occur,” Taylor said. “We transport 3,000 students and the rerouting process will be intense, and our goal is to develop safe and accessible routes for students.
“While we are assessing roads, the Schools Maintenance Department is also assessing damage to school buildings. Until a school has stable and reliable power, it cannot conduct school.
“We have been lucky to have only minor damage, both to physical structures as well as water damage. Crews are working hard to clear debris and have schools ready when students can be safely transported.”
Taylor also mentioned that schools must be able to provide breakfast and lunch for students once classes resume.
“Our goal will be to ensure schools are safe for use and that students can be transported safely. Once routes have been established and a school opening date has been determined, we continue to encourage parents to determine if it is safe for their children to return to school as a result of their housing conditions at home, if they transport their children, is it safe to do so, and if they are needed for family caretaking.”
Taylor said he has been in contact with the State Superintendent’s office about making up the missed school days, but that it hasn’t been decided yet. State law requires students to attend 1,025 hours or 185 days per school year. There are no amendments in the law for a state of emergency.
“This crisis continues to be a challenge for our community and region,” Taylor said in the news release. “However, we have come together as a community to support each other. All county agencies have worked numerous hours along with citizen volunteers to ensure our county is operational and able to serve its citizens. We ask that you continue to monitor media outlets for updates and information on school and community conditions.”
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