Sarasota County Public Schools Set Reopening Date: Hurricane Irma

SARASOTA, FL — All Sarasota County public schools will reopen Monday, Sept. 18, Superintendent Todd Bowden announced. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Sarasota Patch. Click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

As 14 district schools served as shelters for almost 19,000 evacuees, school officials need to assess the state of the schools and the community before they reopen.

Some schools still do not have power, Bowden said. Bowden assures the community that district employees and Sarasota County Government partners are working hard to prepare for the reopening. Custodial and maintenance staff will report to their assigned work sites at 7 a.m. for the remainder of the week.

"Thank you to our staff members who worked in our shelters. Your efforts were appreciated by this community and your superintendent," Bowden said in a statement.

Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

See Also:

• Beware Of Home Repair Scams, Sarasota Sheriff's Office Says: Hurricane Irma
  
• Tampa Bay Publix Stores, Malls Open: When Will Restaurants, Shops Reopen
  
• Hurricane Irma: Florida Cleans Up; Residents Warned About Wastewater—And Snakes

The previously scheduled School Board of Sarasota County Public Hearing to adopt the final millage and budget is cancelled for Tuesday, Sept. 12 and rescheduled for 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 19.

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