Hurricane Milton Updates
Posted: 10/5/2024
10/10/2024: 28 Schools to Offer Free Meals for Students Friday, October 11
10/10/2024: Superintendent Michael Burke sent the following message to families and staff:
Good afternoon families and staff,
Palm Beach County and our region felt the impacts of Hurricane Milton yesterday. Once conditions were safe, School District crews were immediately deployed this morning to inspect our campuses and administrative buildings.
All schools and District offices will remain closed tomorrow, October 11. School District staff should not report to work unless directed to do so by their supervisor.
While we are pleased to report that no schools sustained any major damage, we continue to work across our 182 campuses to ensure all have power, air conditioning, and safe access. Many families in our communities, including District employees, were impacted by this storm. The long weekend will afford some additional time to recover and reopen schools for students on Tuesday, October 15.
Our teams continue working hard to prepare campuses to welcome students and staff back next week. Please keep in mind that Monday, October 14 is already a day off for students because of a planned Professional Development Day for staff.
Although schools and offices are closed, much work continues behind the scenes. The School District supported Palm Beach County in the opening of five shelters at schools that welcomed nearly 1,000 people, and our School Food Service team served nearly 2,400 meals. School Police worked throughout the storm, ensuring safety and security on all of our campuses. Principals, Maintenance and Plant Operations teams, custodians, and support staff continue assessing and preparing schools.
I extend my sincere thanks to our entire team, as well as the community, for their support of our School District. We understand that many people may still be experiencing power outages, damage to homes, and other storm-related issues in their neighborhoods. We encourage everyone to exercise additional caution while driving and getting around the community.
Our thoughts go out to those impacted by the storm here in Palm Beach County and across the state. If you require assistance, whether it’s emotional support, resources, or information on recovery efforts, you can dial 211 to reach the 211 Helpline for Palm Beach and Treasure Coast. 211 is a confidential, community helpline and crisis hotline service providing immediate guidance and support for families.
Families and Team Palm Beach, thank you for your continued support of the School District of Palm Beach County.
10/10/2024: This morning, District crews are deployed and assessing our schools and administrative buildings following Hurricane Milton. Our goal is to reopen schools and offices tomorrow, Friday, October 11.
An official announcement on the status of school operations for Friday, October 11 will be made later today once assessments are completed.
10/8/2024: All District schools and offices are closed tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10. School District staff should not report to work unless directed to do so by their supervisor.
After the storm passes, our crews will assess campuses to make sure schools are safe for students and staff to return.
Our goal is to reopen schools and offices on Friday, October 11. An announcement on school operations for Friday will be made by Thursday evening.
The School District will continue to post storm-related announcements to PalmBeachSchools.org and our social media pages.
We encourage everyone in our community to prepare for the potential impacts of Hurricane Milton and to pay attention to announcements from the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center.
10/7/2024: The School District of Palm Beach County continues closely monitoring and preparing for Hurricane Milton as it approaches Florida. The School District remains in contact with local emergency management officials. As a result, we are implementing operational changes this week to prioritize the safety of students, families, and staff.
Tuesday, October 8
All District-operated schools and offices remain open tomorrow, Tuesday, October 8. After-care programs at elementary and middle schools will remain operational. Other after-school events, club meetings, athletics, facility leases, and adult education programs are canceled tomorrow, Tuesday, October 8.
Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10
All District-operated schools and offices will be closed Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10. Extracurricular activities, after-care programs, sports, school meetings, and other on-campus events are also canceled Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10. School District employees should closely monitor communications from the District and their supervisor. Employees should not report to work unless otherwise directed by their supervisor.
Friday, October 11
District-operated schools and offices are expected to reopen and resume normal operations on Friday, October 11.
All families and staff are encouraged to be prepared for the potential impacts from Hurricane Milton by visiting floridadisaster.org/planprepare. Continue to monitor announcements from the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center.
Additional updates to School District operations will be sent to families and staff as well as posted to our website and social media. For more information, visit palmbeachschools.org/StormUpdates.
10/6/2024: The School District of Palm Beach County continues closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and its potential impacts to our county later this week. School District officials are in contact with local emergency management officials, and we will post updates to our website and social media.
Schools and District offices will be open and under normal operations tomorrow, Monday, October 7.
We encourage our community to always be storm-ready by visiting floridadisaster.org/planprepare.
10/5/2024: The School District of Palm Beach County is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton for potential impacts to our county. We will continue to monitor the storm and post any updates to our website and social media. We encourage our community to always be storm-ready by visiting https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/florida-hurricane-guide/