WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — It's been nearly a month since Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina. Thursday brings a much-needed return to normalcy for many families, though, as thousands of kids return to school in Watauga County.
Schools have been closed for weeks after the destruction of Helene on western Carolina, and one of the many problems with getting schools back open was roads that are impassable or washed away.
That’s why school leaders, the Department of Transportation, and the community have worked together on community bus stops, which are 42 stops providing safe driving routes to schools.
Students are asked to not arrive at community bus stops any more than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled bus pickup time, since many businesses will be in business hours or preparing to open for the day. Buses will wait for seven minutes at bus stops to allow for students to arrive.
Then, starting next week, the district will consider individual stops that are on the way to community stops.
"We are thankful to our community partners for working with us to establish community stops so that we can get students back to school as soon as possible and as safely as possible," the district said.
WCNC Charlotte spoke with one App State student who is excited about the chance to get back to a routine. The student said in some way it feels a little early to return, but acknowledged not everyone can participate in online classes.
"Personally, I'm happy I'm back and that stuff is getting back to how it used to be, how it was," the student said. "We're getting in the groove of [being] back in classes and stuff."
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.