TAMPA, Fla. – As a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to rapidly intensify, school districts in the Tampa Bay area are beginning to announce class cancellations due to the projected impacts.
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County Public Schools will close all schools on Wednesday and Thursday, September 25 and 26, due to fears from the storm. In addition, all extracurricular programs, sporting events and extracurricular activities will be canceled for this Wednesday and Thursday. No decision has been made for Friday at this time.
Pasco County
In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the school system said: “All Pasco County schools will be open on Wednesday, September 24th. All extracurricular activities and events will be canceled to prepare for the storm and set up emergency shelters. All Pasco County schools and offices will be closed on Thursday, September 25th.”
Hernando County
The Hernando County School District was the first to announce closures on Monday evening, stating in a Facebook post:
“Hernando Schools will close its schools and district offices on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. All extracurricular activities for Wednesday and Thursday will be canceled. Before and aftercare programs (YMCA and Boys & Girls Club) will not be held on these days.
After we know more about the potential impact of the storm on our community, we will make a decision on reopening schools on Friday.”
Pinellas County
On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the school system posted the following: “All PCS and offices will be CLOSED Wednesday, September 25th through Thursday, September 26th. All sports and school activities scheduled for Wednesday, September 25th through Thursday, September 26th are canceled. Sports and activities will take place as scheduled today.”
Citrus area
Citrus County Schools announced Tuesday that schools will be closed Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27.
The school district said some of its schools are being used as emergency hurricane shelters and that in preparation for the storm, all schools will be closed after the scheduled half day on Wednesday, September 25.
After-school programs and extracurricular activities are canceled September 25-27. YMCA before- and after-school programs will also follow this schedule.
Manatee County
Manatee County Schools announced Monday that they are working with Manatee County Emergency Management agencies to monitor the storm. Find the latest news from Manatee County Schools here…
Polk County
Polk County Schools announced Monday that they are monitoring weather conditions in the Gulf and that no changes to the PCPS schedule are currently planned.
Universities
The Florida State University campus in Tallahassee will be closed on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, due to Tropical Storm Helene, which is forecast to be upgraded to a hurricane by tomorrow.
The closure will begin at 7:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, September 25, and will continue through 11:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 29. The university expects to resume normal business operations at midnight on Monday, September 30, 2024. The Marine Lab at Turkey Point will also be closed on these dates. If changes in operations are required at other campus locations, specific communication will be provided.
Meanwhile, FAMU announced: “Out of an abundance of caution, classes will be cancelled starting today at 12:15 p.m. through Friday, September 27. All academic operations will be suspended to accommodate potential disruptions caused by the storm. All deans of students and faculty members are asked to work closely with students during this time and provide maximum flexibility.”
The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Athletics Department announced today that the football team’s game against Alabama A&M scheduled for this weekend has been postponed due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Helene. The game will be played on Friday, November 29, at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
This story will be updated with any further announcements from other school districts or colleges.
