Lee County schools have been out of session since a little before Hurricane Irma and they're not set to return until September 25th.
Lee County School District Superintendent Gregory Adkins said this date is later than the school district intended.
"The recovery process is taking quite longer than we thought it would," said Adkins at a press conference. "And we found that most of our buildings did sustain damage."
He said most of the damage is minor. There are downed trees and water intrusion. However, Adkins said some schools’ portable buildings were destroyed. Two high schools and one elementary school have roof damage so significant, they may need to be replaced. The superintendent said contractors are standing by to replace them.
Adkins said 30 schools in the Lee County school district don’t have power.
He said the September 25th date also gives students and staff time to come back to the area.
“Many of them have evacuated this area and are having difficulty getting back," Adkins said.
There are closed roadways and gas shortages to contend with. Plus, a few of the schools are still being used as hurricane shelters.
The superintendent said the Lee school district has to consult with the Department of Education about makeup days, since students are going to miss so much school.
“We will definitely be looking at our schedule again to determine when we can make up days in the school year," Adkins said. "We’ll also be working with the Department of Education, because they also may consider waiving some of those days.”
But Superintendent Adkins has this message for kids:
“I would encourage students to read.”
Adkins said students and their parents should check their schools' websites for updates, which may have some educational activities for students to work on.
