Update: local school district changes plan for reopening after severe weather, tornadoes
The deadly storms and tornadoes that blew through Alabama and Georgia and killed at least 23 people Sunday prompted three Columbus area school districts to close Monday as officials assessed the damage.
The local school district with the most damage is Lee County, where Superintendent Mac McCoy told the Ledger-Enquirer that West Smiths Station Elementary School has “major damage” to its roof and other schools have “some cosmetic damage.” As a result, he said, Lee County Schools will remain closed Tuesday.
The other local school districts that canceled classes Monday are Harris County and Talbot County.
At 9 p.m. Monday, the Harris County school district changed its decision to reopen all schools except Pine Ridge Elementary School and now will keep all district schools closed Tuesday.
“Due to developing icy weather, classes for Tuesday, March 5th are canceled for all schools,” district spokeswoman Rachel Crumbley said in a news release.
Pine Ridge still didn’t have electric power Monday afternoon, Harris County assistant superintendent for business and technology Justin Finney told the Ledger-Enquirer.
The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t reach any school official in Talbot County for comment Monday, but the district’s website said its schools would be closed until further notice.
The school districts in Muscogee, Chattahoochee and Russell counties, as well as Phenix City, operated as usual Monday, and officials told the Ledger-Enquirer their district property wasn’t damaged.
Mark Rice, 706-576-6272, @MarkRiceLE.
This story was originally published March 4, 2019 at 3:49 PM.
