October 2, 2024:Evans County Charter School System (ECCSS) officials met with with Evans County Emergency Management Agency (ECEMA) again and completed assessments of facilities to discuss ongoing impacts of Helene. Over 50% of Evans County residents are without power; other utilities are also limited at this time. Under the circumstances, ECCSS will be closed through Friday, October 4, 2024. Facilities and school services will be assessed over the weekend, and we will provide an update by Sunday, October 6, at 2:00 PM, regarding whether or not we can resume full operations on Monday, October 7.
We know there are many in our community, like us, who remain without power, cell service, and internet access. If you are able to help us safely spread the word about this ongoing closure, we appreciate any assistance you can provide.
Please see below for additional updates regarding Helene recovery:
Community Resources
The ECEMA will be distributing a truckload of tarps, MREs, water, and ice today for everyone in the community. Distribution of these items will be held at the large back parking lot of the Recreation Department. Please visit the ECEMA Facebook page for more information.
ECCSS Event Updates
The Pierce County band competition and SAT that were originally scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled; the SAT has been rescheduled for Saturday, October 19.
The CHS football game vs. Metter will be held this Friday at Veterans Memorial Field. We have power and water at the field. There will be limited concessions. Tickets for the game will be half-price.
The BOE work session that was scheduled for October 3 has been cancelled. The regular monthly BOE meeting will be held Monday, October 7, at 6:00 PM.
District Department Updates
District staff conducted another round of walkthroughs today; while our school buildings appear to have sustained little damage, some of our athletic facilities did not fare as well. Each of our school sites have power restored; internet across the district is still out, and this has impacts across all departments and operations in ECCSS. Our Technology Department is working to assess the conditions of internal technology resources and to make sure these items are restored.
Our Transportation Department will reassess road conditions over the weekend to determine what route adjustments may need to be in place for our return.
After careful consideration and input from various stakeholders, and with compassion for the challenges our community has faced, the fall break scheduled for October 14-October 18 for students and October 16-18 for staff will remain scheduled. Our professional learning teams (PLTs) will collaborate to adjust curriculum maps as needed. ECCSS will collaborate with the BOE and other stakeholders to determine if inservice days scheduled for February and March will be converted to regular school days.
Please monitor our district and school communications, as well as district social media, for any further developments. Student, employee, family, and community safety are our number one priority. Stay safe!