Schools in the McDowell County (West Virginia) district have been closed for more than a week after a major storm dumped inches of rain and flooded the area.
The Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports that the school system is still determining how school will proceed in the near future.
"We are working closely with county officials to make sure that we are assessing our situation and making decisions about schooling in the next few weeks," said Superintendent Ingrida Barker. "Our schools thankfully have not been impacted by the flood waters for the most part. We have damage to the bus garage and the Phoenix Center."
Some schools still had no power or water, Barker said. The school system was working with county officials to see when those utilities could be restored.
Barker said that for now, the school system is focusing on helping its students, the families and the school system's staff.
Schools including Mount View High School, Southside K-8 and Iaeger Elementary have been open as shelters where people can get meals, charge their phones and find other services. Wi-fi is available at all schools that have power. It is accessible from the parking lots at school sites or indoors.
"We are involving more and more staff on delivering to the areas that have no power, no water and no access to all of this," Barker said. "We have showers available. This week we are focusing on the basic needs for our students, their families, our staff, and this is our purpose this week."
Barker said school will eventually resume, but how it will be conducted was still being determined. It may be in classrooms, virtual over the internet or a combination of both.
