Local

Midlands school districts make changes for Tuesday school schedules amid Helene damage

Trees that fell when Hurricane Helene hit Forest Acres, South Carolina, weigh down power lines near the intersection of Piedmont Drive and Claremont Drive on Friday, September 27, 2024.
Trees that fell when Hurricane Helene hit Forest Acres, South Carolina, weigh down power lines near the intersection of Piedmont Drive and Claremont Drive on Friday, September 27, 2024. jboucher@thestate.com

Midlands school districts are continuing to make schedule shifts in the aftermath of powerful Hurricane Helene, which tore through the region and state on Friday.

Lexington-Richland School District 5 announced that all of its schools and offices, along with its virtual FIVE program, will observe an e-lerarning day on Tuesday, Oct. 1. After-school childcare programs are canceled for Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Then, on Wednesday Oct. 2, District 5’s schools and offices will open with a two-hour delay bell schedule.

“First responders in the School District Five attendance area have made tremendous strides in repairing damages and restoring utilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” Lexington-Richland 5 said in a release. However, many impacts remain. As of Monday, six schools are affected by power outages, and multiple bus routes remain impassable.”

Hurricane Helene battered South Carolina, particularly in the Upstate and Midlands. As of noon Monday, more than 740,000 customers remained out of power across the state. The Congaree River crested at nearly 31 feet on Monday morning, nearly at the level of the historic 2015 floods.

Other districts:

Lexington District 1 announced that all schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, Oct. 1, per a text message sent to parents and families. Then, on Wed. Oct. 2, Lexington 1 will operate on a two-hour delay.

Richland District 1 announced that all schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, Oct. 1, according to to a news release Monday afternoon.

The district said that because so many students remain without power, there will also be no e-learning on Tuesday.

Information about plans for Wednesday will be made available Tuesday to parents and staff on the district’s website, social media pages, R1TV (Spectrum cable channel 1303) and the Richland One InfoPhone (803-231-7512), a news release said.

In the meantime, the district will distribute meals for students from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday. Parents can drive through to pick up meals for their children at the following locations:

  • Carver-Lyon Elementary School, located at 2100 Waverly Street, Columbia, SC 29204;
  • Eau Claire High School, located at 4800 Monticello Road, Columbia, SC 29203;
  • Lower Richland High School, located at 2615 Lower Richland Boulevard, Hopkins, SC 29061; and
  • Richland One Central Kitchen, located at 1224 Whitney Street, Columbia, SC 29201

This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 1:01 PM.

Chris Trainor
The State
Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.
Javon L. Harris
The State
Javon L. Harris is a crime and courts reporter for The State. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Before coming to South Carolina, Javon covered breaking news, local government and social justice for The Gainesville Sun in Florida. Support my work with a digital subscription
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