Gulf District Schools will close due to hurricane

GULF COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - UPDATE 09/27/22 10:12 a.m..: Superintendent Norton has officially announced all Gulf County Schools will be closed Wednesday, September 28th, and Thursday, September 29th.

According to Norton, they plan to re-open schools as normal on Friday. If that changes, the public will be notified immediately.

His full statement is as follows:

“This is Superintendent Jim Norton with an important message. Due to the anticipated inclement weather associated with Hurricane Ian, all Gulf County Schools will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, the 28th) and Thursday, the 29th.

We have been advised by local Emergency Management that we should anticipate tropical storm force winds in excess of 35 mph as well as potential heavy rains, at times, well into Wednesday night. Considering the fact that our area still has so many dead and damaged trees resultant from Michael several years ago, the expected high winds on Wednesday make it problematic for our buses to legally operate, and Thursday’s closure will be needed to make general assessments. It goes without saying, no one wishes a storm like Ian on anyone, but the good news for our area is that it is expected to go in well south and east of our area, and local conditions should continue to improve throughout the day on Thursday.

To repeat, all Gulf County Schools will be closed Wednesday, September 28 and Thursday, September 29. At this juncture, we plan to reopen schools as normal on Friday, September 30. Should it be necessary to change that, the public will be notified immediately. However, if you have genuine personal concerns regarding Friday, as always, that will be regarded compassionately.”

Superintendent Jim Norton of Gulf District Schools sent out an email on Monday to take precaution ahead of Hurricane Ian.

The statement was as follows:

“This is Superintendent Jim Norton with a message for Gulf District Schools’ families…. As you’re probably aware, Hurricane Ian is proving difficult for the experts to predict. As the potential track of Hurricane Ian becomes more defined, the district is prepared to take the measures necessary to ensure the safety of our students & staff and their families. Currently, there is a possibility that school closings could take place later this week. We are watching Ian closely and will notify the public immediately if school closures are warranted. It is our plan to share a more definitive plan by 4:00 PM on Tuesday. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to monitor all emergency management notifications and weather alerts and remember the importance of remaining calm and planning ahead.”

Contact information and more can be found on the Gulf District Schools website.