Colleton County School District Monitoring Tropical Storm Debby/Operational Schedule
In collaboration with our local county emergency management team and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Colleton County School District is closely monitoring the development of tropical storm Debby. Our top priority is the safety of our students, staff, and their families. Our district’s emergency response team is in continuous communication with local and state emergency management officials to assess the situation concerning Colleton County and determine the best course of action for school, extracurricular, and athletic event cancellations. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division states that our area will experience heavy rainfall.
Superintendent Jessica Williams stated, “We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of our school community. We are prepared to implement our emergency response plans and will keep everyone informed with timely updates.”
On August 5, 2024, the school district will implement an early release schedule to ensure our students and staff arrive home safely ahead of anticipated heavy rainfall. The district will implement the following bell schedule for Monday, August 5, 2024:
• Black Street Early Childhood Center will begin dismissal at 10:40 am
• All Elementary Schools will begin dismissal at 11:00 am
• Colleton County Middle School will dismiss at 12:15 pm
• Colleton County High School will dismiss at 12:30 pm.
We are thrilled and anticipate having our students back on campus for the first day of school. While we will be implementing an abbreviated schedule, all students must attend class on day one. During the initial instructional day, students will be administered their Chromebook device in the event that the district transitions to an e-learning day as we learn more about school operations due to the severe weather’s impact on the community.
Our school buses will be fully operational on Monday, August 5, 2024. In the event of significant changes due to severe weather, bus routes may be adjusted or suspended. Parents will be notified of any changes associated with this severe weather event. Parents and guardians are encouraged to ensure their contact information is updated with their child’s school so that they receive important alerts and updates. We will continue to post all school-related changes to our district website (www.colleton.k12.sc.us) and our district’s social media platforms by 4:00 pm Monday, August 5, 2024. Families are advised to have a personal emergency plan, including an emergency kit with essentials such as water, non-perishable food, medications, and important documents.
In closing, the school district is committed to the safety and education of all students. Our goal is to provide a secure and supportive learning environment, even in times of emergency.