Savannah schools and colleges announce closing plans for Hurricane Idalia
This is a developing story and will be update as new information becomes available.
Ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend, Savannah area residents are planning for a deluge from Hurricane Idalia instead of the last blast of summer. Idalia is expected to make landfall along Florida's Gulf coast on early Wednesday morning as a Category 3 hurricane. As it moves northeast across the state and downgrades to a tropical storm, forecasters anticipate the eye passing between Brunswick and Savannah learly Thursday, meaning local schools, colleges and universities are making plans to keep students, faculty and administrators safe.
Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools will move to E-learning
The Savannah-Chatham County School System (SCCPSS) sent out an official statement (below) Tuesday morning and continue to post updates to its website about Idalia's impact. The district is also communicating to parents through text and voice messages.
The track of Hurricane Idalia is expected to bring severe weather to our area with the greatest impact to Chatham County expected Wednesday through Thursday. As a precaution, Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools will close in-person learning and will shift to virtual learning on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and Thursday, August 31, 2023. There is no change to operational schedules today.
Students should log on for independent online learning through our on-line learning platforms including Brightspace D2L, Microsoft Teams, and/or Google Classroom. Teacher support times will be made available for your child through various online communications. Students should refer to their school-provided Choice Board if they are unable to access online learning platforms during this virtual shift. As a reminder, Friday, September 1, 2023, was already a scheduled E-Learning day in advance of the Labor Day holiday weekend.
After the storm passes, SCCPSS Maintenance crews will assess any damage to our schools and school grounds. We expect schools to re-open on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, following the Labor Day holiday. If there is any change to that expectation, parents will be notified through the SCCPSS parent notification system by call and email over the weekend. In addition, make sure to check SCCPSS.com and follow us on social media for the most up to date information from the district.
The move to virtual learning due to inclement weather has been the standard practice for SCCPSS since the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the district shifted to virtual learning as Hurricane Ian approached the Savannah area. The main difference from last year is that the LMS for the district is no longer ItsLearning. During the district's media day in July, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Bernadette Ball-Oliver shared that the new LMS will be BrightSpace. According to the district, "Brightspace is designed with students in mind and offers all the features and support needed to reimagine blended learning at every grade level. BrighSpace is a cloud-based LMS that helps K-12 districts deliver high-quality, personalized learning experiences and provides educators with the tools they need to succeed."
With the potential for power outages, Ball-Oliver said that schools have a paper backup plan. “Schools send students home with Choice Boards, which contain appropriate standards aligned for grade level and subject area.” At press conference on the storm today, she indicated that families from Groves High School have been informed that the meeting regarding the transfer of ESOL students back to neighborhood schools has been moved to a virtual meeting. She also confirmed that there will be welcome centers set up at each high school for those students on Sept. 5.
Choice Boards typically provide several assignment options for students to choose from for each subject area. Students are expected to either upload photos and documents that confirm completion of the assignment or turn in assignments upon returning to school. Either approach counts toward a student’s attendance instead of attending class via Zoom, though some teachers may also have Zoom session requirements or options. Families should review classroom instructions sent home with their children prior to Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Idalia updates: Parts of Georgia under storm surge, tropical storm watches
Hurricane Idalia in Savannah: Tropical Storm Idalia projected to sweep through Savannah area. Here's what to know
Georgia Tech Savannah Shifts to Virtual
Georgia Tech Savannah's campus will be closed on Wednesday Aug. 29 and, "work will be undertaken virtually/remotely," according to officials as of 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening.
GA Tech Savannah, "offers professional education courses and community outreach for individuals and businesses in the Coastal Empire and surrounding region." The campus's opportunities entail everything from education for veterans to K12 STEM enrichment and outreach, leadership training, coding boot camps, OSHA training, and applied research.
Charter Schools
Local charter schools may make different operating decisions as they are granted some independence from the school district, especially since some provide their own transportation to students.
Savannah Classical Academy Open Thursday Aug. 31
Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) CEO Barry Lollis released the following statement at 4:58 a.m. Thursday morning:
"SCA will reopen today as normally scheduled. Y-Base before and after school care will not be open today. Most of the city has utilities restored. If your home does not have essential services and your child will not be able to attend school, please send in a parent note Friday upon your child’s return. Utility outages are available online if you need to check your work location. As of 4:00 AM the Talmadge bridge was still closed. If you need support, SCA has working showers for students in our athletic locker rooms. We look forward to welcoming back students today!"
TIMA Closed Wed. and Thurs.
Tybee Island Maritime Academy principal Peter Ulrich alerted families on Monday that the school would be closed on Wednesday Aug. 30 and Thursday Aug. 31. The email announcement advised families to "continue to monitor social media and website for updates regarding the storm."
Tybee Island officials have not issued a mandatory evacuation, but expressed that anyone who voluntarily wanted to evacuate should try to leave on Monday. Tybee is bracing for potential tidal flooding, which may lead to US 80 closures. A TIMA official confirmed that the potential road closure was, "a driver in the decision [to close the school]."
SCCPSS Charter School Facts: Too early to think about Savannah-Chatham County school choices for next year? Think again
Private Schools
Hancock Day School
School officials confirmed that Hancock Day School will be closed on Wednesday, Aug. 30 and Thursday, Aug. 31 due to Tropical Storm Idalia. They also posted a notice to their Instagram page.
The Habersham School
As of Tuesday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. The Haberhsam School's Director of Advancement Chaston Hart, shared that The Habersham School, "will close on Wednesday, August 30, and Thursday, August 31. All after-school events are also canceled for Wednesday and Thursday."
St. Andrew's School Closed Wed.
Director of Develop for St. Andrew's, Scott Searcy sent out an update at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday stating, that the school, "will not be in session on Wednesday, August 30 or Thursday, August 31."
Benedictine Military School
A statement from Benedictine Military School officials at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday stated, "Benedictine Military School continues to track the trajectory of Hurricane Idalia and is adjusting as necessary. Wednesday will be a half-day of virtual learning. BC will be closed Thursday. On Friday, BC will continue with its previously scheduled half-day of virtual learning."
Local colleges and universities brace for Idalia's wind and rain
Georgia Southern University Shifting to Online
At 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Georgia Southern University's (GSU) Alert Center updated with the following message:
"All Georgia Southern campus operations will be limited to essential personnel only on Aug. 30, and classes will shift online Aug. 30 and 31. All in-person events are canceled Wednesday, and until noon on Thursday, pending official determination that all campuses are safe. When that determination is made, an “all-clear” will be issued via EAGLE ALERT. Until that “all-clear” is issued, only essential personnel should be on campus on Wednesday, Aug. 30 and until noon on Thursday, Aug. 31. Employees should check with their supervisor if they are unsure about their status as an essential employee."
Saint Leo University - Savannah Education Center Closed Thurs.
Saint Leo University updated it's Weather Advisory page online at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 30 with the following statement:
"Saint Leo University issued an “all clear” for University Campus at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30. Students, faculty, and staff who did not shelter on campus may now return to campus. Classes and normal business operations will resume for all locations on Thursday, August 31, with the exception of the Savannah Education Center.
Classes will be canceled for the Savannah Education Center on Thursday, August 31, and the center will be closed for business."
Savannah College of Art and Design - Savannah Campus Closing
The majority of SCAD students will return to campus starting Sept. 5, 2023, but the university updated its safety and security website at 5:08 p.m. Monday afternoon with the following message:
"SCAD is actively monitoring the path of Hurricane Idalia. Given its currently forecasted track, SCAD will close all academic and administrative buildings in Savannah Wednesday, Aug. 30 and Thursday, Aug. 31. SCAD Atlanta and SCADnow will remain unaffected. Essential employees may be asked to report to work and/or remain available during this time. Supervisors will notify those employees if they need to report. SCAD will assess storm effects and damage Thursday, Aug. 31, and provide updates to university operations as needed."
Savannah State University Switching to Online
Savannah State University's (SSU) website was updated Tuesday morning with the following message:
"The SSU administrators are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Idalia and potential impact on the Savannah area. Given the latest forecast for Storm Idalia, all classes will be shifted online beginning Wednesday, August 30 in an asynchronous style learning environment through Friday, September 1. Monday, September 4 is a holiday; so, classes will resume according to normal schedules on Tuesday, September 5."
Savannah Technical College Closing Wednesday
The following statement was shared by Savannah Technical College officials:
Due to the anticipated severe weather conditions for Hurricane Idalia, all Savannah Technical College campuses will close Wednesday, August 30. Online classes for Wednesday will take place as scheduled, and in-person classes will proceed as virtual classes, where possible. The College will reopen Thursday, August 31 for normal operations barring any unforeseen power or travel issues.
Severe weather closure information is available at www.savannahtech.edu/Emergency.
SMN will continue to provide updates from schools as we receive them. Families should also review the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Center for further storm updates.
Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at jschwartzburt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah, Ga. schools, colleges plans for Hurricane Idalia
