When will Lee Schools reopen after Hurricane Ian? District aims for Oct. 17

The Lee County School District aims to return students to school on Oct. 17, even if it's not to their school.

Superintendent Christopher Bernier gave an update Friday afternoon on plans for the following week. Schools will not reopen next week due to school and community damages and challenges.

"We are not ready this week to reopen," Bernier said.

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There are still a number of factors that could prevent the reopening date from occurring on Oct. 17.

The district will release a list of schools and their conditions on Friday evening.

What we know about school conditions

• Inspectors have completed their assessments of school buildings.

• A majority of schools are in a low needs category, meaning they need very little work to reopen. In most cases that means power restoration and clean drinking water.

• There are schools in a high needs category, that suffered significant damage. They will either need a lot of time to repair or will need to be rebuilt.

• Bernier has already announced the Sanibel School, Fort Myers Beach Elementary and Hector A. Cafferatta, Jr. Elementary School in Cape Coral will need to be rebuilt.

• Eight schools are currently without power.

• Most schools do not have suitable drinking water and are under a boil water notice.

• There are safety issues associated with picking students up from bus stops and getting them to school.

Bernier said there are plans being put in place for the three schools the district knows won't be ready to reopen. He also said the district will keep those students and teachers together.

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Much of the return to school will be determined by staff.

"Their response and our support professional's response will provide another critical determining factor to reopening," Bernier said. "Their readiness to return. We can not ignore this storm has impacted all of us."

Here is what will happen next week:

• Schools will be closed.

• The district will conduct further assessment of staff's ability to return to school.

• The district will determine where students and staff will go if they can not return to their school building by Oct. 17. This is for schools that need extensive repairs.

• On Oct. 12, district administration meeting with the board to provide an updated reopening plan based on progress made at schools and in the community.

• On Oct. 13 staff will go to their school, or other designated meeting area, and determine what they need to return to work.

• The district will look closer at transportation needs.

• The district will schedule open houses at schools so students who are attending a different school can get a feel for them.

• On Monday, community members who have found themselves without a job can begin to apply with the district for a number of jobs.

Also:

• There could potentially be double sessions, meaning half of students go to school in the morning and the other half in the afternoon, depending on the number of school buildings that can reopen.

• There is no revised school calendar at this time.

"All students may not be able to return," Bernier said. "We, as a district, will remain flexible with parents and students just like staff."

Nikki Ross covers education for the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News. She can be reached at NRoss@gannett.com, follow her on Twitter @nikkiinreallife, Instagram @reporternikkiinreallife or TikTok @nikki.inreallife.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lee County Schools aims to reopen on Oct. 17 after Hurricane Ian