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Tropical Storm Debby: Damage from the storm and ongoing closures of school and community colleges

News Community Colleges K-12 Weather
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Editor’s note: This article will be updated twice a day — around 11 a.m. and 5 p.m — or more frequently as needed. School district and community college closures are determined based on the latest information found on district and community college websites, as well as their Twitter and Facebook accounts when applicable. Are we missing something? Let us know by emailing lbrowne@ednc.org.

On Aug. 5, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in expectation of the threat posed by Tropical Storm Debby.

“This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina and we are preparing for it,” Cooper said in a press release. “As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe.”

The Governor’s Office and N.C. Emergency Management call on residents to remain safe and cautious while watching for expected flooding and power outages. 

Cooper updated the warning with this press release issued on Aug. 7, and this press release on Aug. 8. On Aug. 9, Cooper is scheduled to brief reporters on the storm at 11 a.m.

As Tropical Storm Debby hits North Carolina, EdNC is working to track closures and delays at our state’s schools and community colleges. We will keep you informed on Debby’s impact on schools, students, and communities.

Storm damage to schools

Gordon Deno, the Wilson County Emergency Management Director, confirms that Springfield Middle School in Lucama in the Wilson County Schools was hit by a tornado. This video via WCTI News 12 shows extensive damage. Use#WCSistheBEST to show support.

Cooper and Emergency Management officials offered updates regarding severe weather in the state and damages sustained due to Tropical Storm Debby during a conference on Aug. 9.

Cooper addressed the damage to Springfield Middle School in Wilson County during the conference after visiting the tornado-damaged site on Aug. 8. 

“This tornado was very powerful,” Cooper said.

The tornado mostly damaged sixth and seventh grade classrooms, according to Cooper, with most of the eighth grade classrooms left untouched. Cooper said there was a “thought” of potentially opening some of the classrooms for the school year, but said he didn’t know if this would be a possibility.

Cooper met with Wilson County Schools Superintendent Lane B. Mills, who said the school will be assessed and inspected, and was “very determined,” Cooper said, to make sure students would still have access to education with efforts in the works to look at all the options available. 

School officials are getting in touch with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and have insurance for this scenario, Cooper said. 

“We will work with them about any other streams of funding that would be available to them,” Cooper said.

Current school district closures and delays

  • New Hanover County Schools: Closed on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Summer graduation has been rescheduled for Aug. 14 at 6 p.m.
  • Brunswick County Schools: Closed for all student activities on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Brunswick County Early College will use a remote learning schedule on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Aug. 7 through Aug. 9 will be optional employee workdays. 
  • Public Schools of Robeson County: Closed from Aug. 7 through Aug. 9. All programs, classes, and athletic events are canceled until further notice.
  • Pender County Schools: Facilities and afterschool activities closed at 4 p.m. on Aug. 6. All facilities are closed for students and non-emergency staff Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 with afterschool activities and athletics canceled. 
  • Craven County Schools: Closed Aug. 7 through Aug. 9 with activities and practices canceled. Virtual learning will be available for Early College students. District and school staff may work remotely. Summer Feeding Meals will also be unavailable.
  • Pamlico County Schools: The Aug. 9 Midnight Madness is canceled. 
  • Beaufort County Schools: Students will have satellite days on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.
  • Hyde County Schools: Mattamuskeet School’s Aug. 7 Open House is rescheduled for Aug. 12 at 5 p.m. Aug. 12 is a teacher workday with the first day of school beginning Aug. 13. 
  • Camden County Schools: Closed Aug. 6. and reopening for staff on Aug. 7 with the first day of school beginning on Aug. 8. 
  • Columbus County Schools: Closed on Aug. 6 at 12 p.m. for students and 1 p.m. for staff. Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 will be virtual for students and staff.
  • Duplin County Schools: Optional work days for 11-month and 12-month staff Aug. 7 through Aug. 9. 
  • Bladen County Schools: Closed Aug. 6 at 12:30 PM and remaining closed through Aug. 8. 
  • Cumberland County Schools: Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 will be remote learning days for students. The Prime Time AfterSchool program will close at 6 p.m. on Aug. 7. All afterschool programs, practices, and events are canceled from Aug. 7 to Aug. 10, with morning workouts permitted on Aug. 7.
  • Whiteville City Schools: Closing at 12 p.m. on Aug. 6 and remaining closed through Aug. 9. Sports activities are canceled from Aug. 6 through Aug. 8.
  • Onslow County Schools: There will be an optional staff workday on Aug. 7 with the schools closed for staff on Aug. 8. All student activities are canceled on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Onslow Early College High School will hold virtual classes on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8.  
  • Sampson County Schools: Closing at 4 p.m. on Aug. 7 with all afternoon and evening activities canceled. Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 will be optional staff workdays. The Early College will be closed on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 with Aug. 12 to be the first day opening for students and staff. 
  • Edgecombe County Schools: Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 will be remote work days for staff and remote learning days for Edgecombe Early College High School and Edge Academy of Health Sciences. All activities at the traditional high schools are canceled on Aug. 8 and all sports practices and events are canceled on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. 
  • Hoke County Schools: SandHoke Early College High School to operate on a half day schedule on Aug. 7 with students dismissed at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 8 will be a remote learning day. All extracurricular activities are canceled until the week of Aug. 12. 
  • Scotland County Schools: Scotland Early College High School will close at 12 p.m. on Aug. 7, with Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 serving as remote learning days for students and staff. Athletic practices and afterschool activities are canceled for Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. District offices and 12-month employees will have an early dismissal day at 12 p.m. on Aug. 7. Aug 8 will be a remote work day for district staff with district offices closed. The NAACP School Supply Give Away scheduled for Aug. 10 has been rescheduled to Aug. 17. 
  • Harnett County Schools: Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 will be remote learning and work days for students and staff with extracurricular activities canceled.
  • Moore County Schools: All student activities and daycare are canceled for Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. 
  • Wilson County Schools: Wilson Academy of Applied Technology and Wilson Early College Academy will close on Aug. 8. The central and school offices will also be closed. 
  • Pitt County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. Pitt County early colleges will use a remote learning schedule on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. Schools will be closed Thursday, August 8 – the last workday of its summer weekly schedule. School operations, camps, athletic practices, and events are canceled beginning at 5 p.m. Aug. 7.
  • Lee County Schools: Remote learning will be in place on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 for Tramway Elementary School. The first day of classes for Lee Early College on Aug. 8, is canceled. Aug. 7 is an optional staff work day with a dismissal at 1 p.m. and Aug. 8 will be an optional remote staff work day. 
  • Stanly County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, with all athletic events canceled. The first day of school will be moved to Aug. 12. 
  • Anson County Schools: All extracurricular activities, practices, and camps are canceled on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. 
  • Northampton County Schools: Northampton County Early College will close Aug. 7 at 11:30 a.m. with remote learning taking place on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. The district office will close Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. and reopen on Aug. 12 at 8 a.m.
  • Durham Public Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with all after-school activities canceled. 
  • Surry County Schools: Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 will be optional teacher work days with the first day of school postponed to Aug. 12. 
  • Wake County Public School System: Closed on Aug. 8 with all after-school activities canceled. 
  • Greene County Schools: The Back to School Bash has been rescheduled for Aug.17 from 10am-12pm at Greene County Middle School.
  • Tyrrell County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with staff working remotely. 
  • Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools: All schools and offices are closed at 3 p.m. on Aug. 8 and are remaining closed on Aug. 9.
  • Gates County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with all after-school activities canceled. 
  • Camden County Schools: The Snow Cone with Principals event is canceled. 
  • Halifax County Schools: Operating on a remote schedule on Aug. 8 with open houses postponed until Aug. 12. 
  • Nash County Public Schools: Aug. 8 is a remote workday for staff except essential workers. Aug. 9 is a remote workday for CITI High and Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High School staff except essential workers. Athletic events are canceled for Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.  
  • Wayne County Schools: Closed Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 with all practices, events, and activities canceled. 
  • Franklin County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with all after-school activities and facility rentals canceled. 
  • Warren County Schools: Remote workdays for staff on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. 
  • Orange County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. 
  • Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools: Schools and offices closed on Aug. 8, with an optional remote staff workday. All athletic activities and other activities on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 are canceled or postponed. Bond project community meetings on Aug. 8 are canceled. Summer meal services are canceled for Aug. 8. 
  • Vance County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. 
  • Granville County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8.
  • Richmond County Schools: All student activities, camps, and athletics are canceled on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. Richmond Early College’s open house has been rescheduled for Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. 
  • Union County Public Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. Staff may take annual leave or work remotely on Aug. 8. All after school events, athletics, and driver’s education are canceled on Aug. 8. 
  • Randolph County Schools: Randolph Early College High School is canceled on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. 
  • Asheboro City Schools: All student activities canceled on Aug. 8. 
  • Lexington CIty Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with open house on Aug. 8 canceled. 
  • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: Aug. 8 will be an asynchronous learning day with activities, athletics, and camps canceled. 
  • Cabarrus County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. KIDS:PLUS is canceled for Aug. 8 with all athletics and extracurricular events canceled. Elementary school open houses are postponed from Aug. 8 to Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. Elementary school open houses have been postponed from Thursday, August 8th to Monday, August 12th from 3-6 P.M.  
  • Kannapolis City Schools: Open houses will take place on Aug. 9. 
  • Rowan-Salisbury Schools: The first day of school, Aug. 8, has been postponed.
  • Thomasville City Schools: All after school activities and athletics are canceled Aug. 7. Schools are closed on Aug. 8 with all activities, athletics, and SOAR Summer Camp canceled.
  • Guilford County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with all activities, athletics, summer learning, and summer meal distribution canceled. 
  • Person County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8. 
  • Caswell County Schools: Aug. 8 is an optional workday for staff with school activities and the feeding program canceled. 
  • Rockingham County Schools: Closed on Aug. 8 with activities, child care and summer meal distribution canceled.  
  • Davie County Schools: Remote day for Early College Students on Aug. 8. All Aug. 8 middle school and high school activities and athletics are canceled. 
  • Gaston County Schools: All events, orientations, open houses, and practices on Aug. 8 are canceled. 
  • Lincoln County Schools: Middle school and high school open houses are moved from Aug. 8 to Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. All athletics are canceled for Aug. 8, affecting scrimmages on Aug. 9. 
  • Elkin City Schools: Aug. 8 is an optional staff workday.
  • Cleveland County Schools: Some orientations are rescheduled. Families are asked to check their school’s website or social media for updates.
  • Stoke County Schools: On Aug. 8 the Early College will close at 1 p.m. with Stokes County Schools closing at 3 p.m. Evening activities are canceled.
  • Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: All student activities on Aug. 8 are canceled. Elementary school open houses are canceled with a possible make up day on Aug. 9.

Are we missing something? Let us know by emailing lbrowne@ednc.org.

Current community college closures and delays

Are we missing something? Let us know by emailing lbrowne@ednc.org.

Staying safe and alert during severe weather

The following is directly quoted from this press release from the Governor’s Office.

  • Have multiple ways to receive emergency info, including watches and warnings. Make sure emergency alerts are enabled on your cell phone and download a weather app.
  • Have an emergency plan. Know where you would go if you need to evacuate. Make a plan to stay with family, friends or at a hotel. Public shelters should be a last resort.
  • Gather some emergency supplies or refresh your emergency kit. Visit ReadyNC.gov for info on how to build an emergency kit.
  • Never drive through flooded roadways or around barricades.
  • Make sure you know where to seek shelter if a tornado warning is issued for your area.
  • Ensure that you have multiple ways to receive warnings, especially with the potential for severe storms to be moving through during nighttime hours.
  • Check to see if your community offers emergency alert services for its residents.
  • Avoid unnecessary travel.
News Community Colleges K-12 Weather
Laura Browne

Laura Browne is a reporter for EdNC.

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