Palm Beach County public schools are checking the damage to their 180 campuses, bus depots, and other properties after Hurricane Milton. While the storm didn’t bring much rain, it caused tornadoes in the county. No major damage has been found at any schools so far.
School officials are making sure all campuses have power, air conditioning, and safe entry before deciding when schools will reopen. Schools have been closed since Wednesday when Hurricane Milton hit the west coast of Florida with strong winds and an uncertain path. Superintendent Mike Burke will update parents on Thursday about whether schools will reopen on Friday or not.
Students already have a long weekend due to teacher training and the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday on Monday, October 14. If schools remain closed on Friday, students might return on Tuesday, October 15.
Nearby counties like St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee also closed schools this week as they were closer to the storm. These districts have reported more damage, and recovery work is going on. Like Palm Beach County, they also have a teacher workday on October 14, and students are expected to return on October 15.
Indian River County schools are currently housing 700 people in emergency shelters.
To support families during the closure, the Palm Beach County School District is offering free meals for students on Friday, October 11. Students up to age 18 can pick up breakfast and lunch from 28 schools between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. The meals will be easy to take, so families can quickly pick them up and go.
If parents or guardians pick up the meals without their children, they need to bring ID, such as a student ID or birth certificate. This program ensures students can still get food even if schools are closed.
Some of the schools offering free meals include Barton Elementary, Jupiter High School, Palm Beach Lakes High School, and Spanish River High School. A full list of participating schools is available on the district’s website.
The school district is working hard to safely reopen schools. They are monitoring the situation and will update families as soon as any decisions are made.
This weekend gives families and staff more time to recover from the storm, and classes might open on Tuesday.