WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Multiple school districts in North Carolina are closed as western North Carolina continues to recover from Helene, which hit the Florida coast as a Category 4 hurricane late on Sept. 27 before tearing through the Sunshine State, up through Georgia and into the Carolinas.
Ashe County Schools
Ashe County Schools will be closed through Friday, Oct. 11.
While the schools are closed, Blue Ridge, Mountain View, and Westwood Elementary schools are operating as emergency distribution sites, and the Ashe County High School gym is an emergency shelter.
Avery County Schools
Avery County Schools will be closed on Monday. A reopening date for the school district has not yet been set.
"Avery County Schools will remain closed until it is safe to return," the district said. "Although we do not have a set timeline, our goal is to reopen as soon as possible. Our administrators will provide staff, parents, and students with a 72-hour notice of reopening to give everyone time to prepare."
Burke County Public Schools
Burke County Public Schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, with an optional staff workday. Liberty Middle School, East Burke Middle School, Mountain View Elementary, and Glen Alpine Elementary will serve as meal pick-up sites for families without access to power and resources on Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meals are set aside for those 18 and under, but they do not have to be BCPS and do not have to be present when families pick up the meals.
Caldwell County Schools
Caldwell County Schools will be closed on Monday, with an optional workday for staff.
Watauga County Schools
Watauga County Schools are closed through Friday, Oct. 11 for students, teachers and teacher assistants.