Brevard Public Schools, Eastern Florida cancel Wednesday classes ahead of Idalia
Brevard Public Schools will be closed Wednesday because of Hurricane Idalia.
The public schools join Eastern Florida State College and Catholic schools, which announced closing earlier Tuesday.
"The county remains under a Tropical Storm Warning and winds tomorrow morning could reach more than 35 miles per hour, sustained. If that happens, the wind speed would be too dangerous to have school buses on the roads," a post on the district's Facebook page said. The post was made just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
"Each day in the classroom is important and we try very hard to protect the time our teachers have with students, but our number one priority is to make sure each student and staff member is safe."
The post added that classes and activities were set to resume on Thursday.
Updates will be posted to their Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
Prior to the announcement by Brevard Public Schools, Ascension Catholic Schools announced class cancelations last Monday night, saying campus would be closed on Wednesday with plans to reopen on Thursday, according to an email sent by school principal Claudia Stokes.
Stokes added that while classes will continue as usual Tuesday, after school care will be closed and there will be no after school activities.
"Please join us in praying for the safety of everyone in the path of this storm and for limited damage to homes and businesses," she said.
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Updates will be provided on the school's Facebook page, and through texts and emails to school families.
Eastern Florida State College posted to their website at about noon saying all campuses would be closed Wednesday and Thursday, with classes and events canceled. Online classes are also included in the cancelation, with students not expected to complete assignments with deadlines on Wednesday or Thursday. Tuesday's classes are being held as scheduled.
Updates will be posted to their website.
Florida Tech was also monitoring the storm, with no changes to operations as of just before noon, said Spokesperson Adam Lowenstein in an email to FLORIDA TODAY.
Idalia became a hurricane Tuesday, according to a National Hurricane Center update. It was moving at 14 miles per hour by 8 a.m. Tuesday with wind speeds of about 80 miles per hour. The storm is expected to cross the state north of Brevard, though high winds and rain are possible for the Space Coast.
The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning Monday for the Atlantic Coast from Georgia south to Sebastian Inlet, meaning that tropical storm conditions were expected within 48 hours.
Check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Wednesday classes canceled at Brevard Public Schools ahead of Idalia
