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Lee opening 70 schools and eight special centers this week; more to come as critical criteria is met

Pine Island Elementary
Special to WGCU
Pine Island Elementary

The School District of Lee County will resume classes at 70 schools and eight special centers this week.

All of the sites have cleared the nine criteria the District established to ensure the campuses were safe for students and staff to return.

Nine more schools were cleared over the weekend to start classes on Wednesday:

  • Caloosa Elementary
  • Cypress Lake Middle School 
  • Dunbar Community School
  • Fort Myers High School 
  • Fort Myers Technical College
  • North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
  • Southwest Florida Public Service Academy
  • Success Academy
  • Trafalgar Middle School   

As schools are cleared to open, principals communicate with students and staff about the reunification days for both groups before classes begin.

Starting classes Monday:

  • Bonita Springs Elementary
  • Bonita Springs Middle
  • Colonial Elementary
  • Diplomat Elementary
  • Franklin Park Elementary
  • Gulf Elementary
  • Fort Myers Middle
  • Orange River Elementary
  • Orangewood Elementary
  • Three Oaks Elementary
  • Tice Elementary
  • Trafalgar Elementary School
  • Tropic Isles Elementary School

Starting classes Tuesday:

  • Allen Park Elementary
  • Buckingham Exceptional Center
  • Cypress Lake High
  • Edison Park Elementary
  • Hancock Creek Elementary
  • Ida S. Baker High
  • J. Colin English Elementary
  • James Stephens Elementary
  • Lee Virtual School
  • Littleton Elementary
  • Manatee Elementary
  • Pinewoods Elementary
  • Royal Palm Exceptional Center
  • Tanglewood Elementary
  • Three Oaks Middle
  • Villas Elementary

Previously announced as starting classes Wednesday:

  • The Alva School
  • Bayshore Elementary
  • Bonita Springs High School
  • Caloosa Elementary
  • Cape Elementary
  • Cape Coral High
  • Cape Coral Technical College
  • Challenger Middle
  • Cypress Lake Middle School
  • Dunbar Community School 
  • Dunbar High
  • East Lee County High
  • Edgewood Elementary
  • Estero High School
  • Fort Myers High School 
  • Fort Myers Technical College
  • G. Weaver Hipps Elementary
  • Gateway Elementary
  • Gateway High School
  • Harns Marsh Elementary
  • Harns Marsh Middle
  • Island Coast High
  • Lehigh Acres Middle
  • Lehigh Elementary
  • Lehigh Senior High
  • Mariner High
  • Mariner Middle
  • Mirror Lakes Elementary
  • North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
  • Oak Hammock Middle
  • Patriot Elementary
  • Pelican Elementary
  • Ray V. Pottorf Elementary
  • Rayma Page Elementary
  • River Hall Elementary
  • Riverdale High
  • San Carlos Park Elementary
  • South Fort Myers High
  • Southwest Florida Public Service Academy
  • Spring Creek Elementary
  • Success Academy
  • Sunshine Elementary
  • Tortuga Preserve Elementary
  • Trafalgar Middle School 
  • Treeline Elementary
  • Varsity Lakes Middle
  • Veterans Park Academy for the Arts 

Starting classes Thursday:

  • Fort Myers Beach Elementary and The Sanibel School, both at partner school San Carlos Park Elementary

Nine criteria were set by the School District to safely open a school. All nine must be met before a campus is cleared to open.
1. Reliable power
2. Potable water
3. Professional assessment:
4. Leak secure
5. Working air conditioning
6. Functioning fire alarm and intercom
7. Indoor air quality
8. Debris cleaned up
9. Ability to serve food

Eleven schools and 5 special centers are still waiting to clear all nine criteria before receiving clearance to open. The complete list of schools ready to open and their first day of classes is available on the School District website at https://www.leeschools.net/weather_watch