| As Hurricane Ian approached the Gulf coast, schools throughout the state flipped from places of learning to refuges from the storm. More than 50 Hillsborough County campuses, for example, converted to shelters almost overnight. As soon as students left for home, making way for evacuees, the inevitable question arose: When will they be able to come back?
— Jeffrey S. Solochek, jsolochek@tampabay.com |
| [JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK | Times] |
| Schools need 'a lot of work' after serving as hurricane shelters |
| The Pasco County school district took great pains in its storm-related communications not to overcommit on the issue of resuming classes. "We've made it very clear that people need to stay tuned," district spokesperson Steve Hegarty said.
Hurricane Irma, which brushed the area five years ago, offered the necessary guidance.
After Irma passed, and the skies returned to sunny and blue, many parents began questioning why their children's schools hadn't reopened. The factors were myriad, said Zephryhills High principal Christina Stanley, who led shelter operations at Fivay High in 2017. They included difficulties getting some evacuees back home, a need to reorganize classrooms, time to restock cafeteria and restroom supplies, and perhaps most daunting, cleanup. "There's a lot of work that goes in once residents go home," Stanley noted. Did we mention cleanup? Fivay wound up with a flea infestation from all the pets that sheltered there. Other schools had dirty diapers in desk drawers, soiled floors from where residents became sick, and the usual mountains of trash. And that was before COVID concerns. Workers "will be in hazmat suits and they'll be cleaning schools," Pasco superintendent Kurt Browning said. "That's what we have to do to be sure schools are ready for students." Officials also must take into consideration the availability of staff, some of whom might have evacuated and then return to damaged homes. Possible damage to schools, accessibility to the campuses and the availability of power all play into the reopening decision. "You never know the impact of a storm," Hillsborough superintendent Addison Davis said during a media briefing early in the week, when asked when kids might return. Districts planned to have their response teams in the field soon after the worst weather passes. That will help make an informed decision, Davis said. For the critical thing isn't just to reopen the schools, but to ensure it's done safely. As the Pasco district advised, stay tuned. |
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