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Many Bay Area kids head back to school this week after Hurricane Milton: 'Sense of normalcy'

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Published  October 15, 2024 6:51pm EDT
Tampa Bay
FOX 13 News

Students returning to school after Hurricane Milton

Lloyd Sowers reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay area kids missed a lot of school during and after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, but now school districts are beginning to reopen campuses. 

Some went back to class on Monday and Tuesday, while others will reopen on Wednesday. Hillsborough County school officials decided to wait until Thursday, because many schools are still without power. 

"The decision point for us is we need to have power in schools," said Van Ayres, the superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools. "As it sits right now, we have over 40 schools still without power, but I’ve been assured by TECO that by Thursday we'll have power to those schools, and we’ll be ready to go."

READ: Bay Area arborists working to remove fallen trees after Hurricane Milton brings damaging winds

Pinellas County Schools will reopen Wednesday. 

"Our number one goal is to make sure students return, give a sense of normalcy to our community, allow parents to return to work, and we are excited to do that tomorrow," said Pinellas Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick. 

Around the Tampa Bay region, Citrus County students returned to school on Monday. Schools opened in Hernando, Hardee and Manatee County on Tuesday. Along with Pinellas County, Pasco, Sarasota, and Polk counties students will return on Wednesday. 

Teachers and staff are reporting sooner to get prepared for the kids. School districts made test runs on school bus routes to make sure the buses could get around the piles of storm debris that litter the region. 

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