All Palm Beach County Public Schools and District offices will close Thursday, September 7, and Friday, September 8, in an effort to allow families to prepare for Hurricane Irma.
All afterschool activities, including sports and school meetings, are canceled for Wednesday, September 6, in advance of schools closing on Thursday and Friday.
“We have been watching Hurricane Irma closely before making our decision to close schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Robert Avossa. “While landfall is not expected until Sunday, we have a responsibility to ensure our personnel have ample time to prepare before tropical force winds arrive in the area.”
Emergency shelters
Palm Beach County’s Department of Emergency Management is to determine when emergency shelters will open.
County officials indicated it is important to remember that not all emergency shelters will be open at the same time. Residents are urged to make sure to monitor local media or check the Department of Emergency Management’s website, ReadyPBC.com, for more information. A list of 2017 shelters and evacuation zones is available at ReadyPBC.com, on the Public Shelters link.
School District leaders will continue to work closely with County, State and Federal emergency management officials to assess Irma’s impact on the District, and determine when it is safe for schools and offices to reopen.
Parents, students and district employees should monitor local media as well as the District’s social media accounts for updates on the District’s operations.
Employees will be notified when they should report back to work, based on whether they are in Category A, B, C or D. Updates also will be provided through the district’s main phone number, (561) 434-8000 or toll-free at (866) 930-8402.
The District will determine if and when the missed days will be required to be made up at a later date.
