2 Pinellas County schools shut down after Hurricane Helene

Pinellas County schools damaged during Helene

Evyn Moon reports.

MADERIA BEACH, Fla. - Hurricane Helene’s widespread aftermath is also affecting the Pinellas school system. One faculty member lost their life, and hundreds of teachers suffering flood damage.

Now, two schools, Gulf Beaches Elementary and Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 schools are temporarily shut down, suffering major electrical damage.

"This is unprecedented. The biggest piece is—we’ve had classrooms flood before, water main broke, that’s really easy to fix. It’s the electrical system that was inundated with seawater. The electrical system is 20 feet from the intercoastal so its just gonna take a long time to repair," said Kevin Hendrick, Pinellas County Schools superintendent.

It may take over a month to fix so they are shifting nearly 2,000 students from those schools to Osceola middle and Walsingham Elementary.

Maderia Beach Fundamental’s principal telling FOX 13 it’s a good plan.

"This plan allows students to remain together with their classroom teacher with their school in tact. And it allows families to return, to come back. The biggest challenge is the logistic piece and getting students to two locations but they are close to each other," said Chris Ateek, Madeira Beach Fundamental Principal.

The county will hold two parents meetings on Monday night about the plans.

READ: Pinellas County schools to reopen Monday except for three schools, superintendent says

The principal says he will welcome students back with positivity following the devastation.

"I will tell the students the same thing I would tell them on the first week of school, we are learning together, we are easing into this transition," said Ateek.

"We know that this plan will inconvenience some but relocating is a great impact students, families and staff but we will get through this together," said Hendrick.

They hope to have students back to those schools effected schools by Oct. 2.

More information about these temporary changes can be found at the Pinellas County Schools website.

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