Lexington, SC 08/29/2023 - Lexington School District One announced today that it will dismiss school early on Wednesday, August 30, and start school on a two-hour delay on Thursday, August 31. The decision to change schedules is based on the potential for severe weather associated with Hurricane Idalla.
The National Weather Service’s current predicted storm path shows that Hurricane Idalia will make landfall in Florida today and then weaken as it makes its way across land in Georgia and South Carolina Wednesday and into Thursday. Although the predicted path of the storm shows the strongest portion of it will track southeast of Lexington County, and hazardous traveling conditions due to Hurricane Idalia. Forecasts are calling for the possibility of strong wind gusts, tornadoes, heavy rain and flooded roads that could still affect this area.
The issue with this type of weather for schools usually revolves around student transportation. Although the district's buildings are built to withstand severe weather, school buses come from the manufacturer with a wind warning for safe operations. Because of the high, flat sides of a bus, they can act as a sail during high winds causing the bus to be hard to control. If wind gusts are high enough, school buses can be prone to tipping over without warning. For this reason, schools usually cancel classes, modify schedules, and close schools during the periods where high winds are anticipated.
Please read the information below for details on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s schedules. We appreciate families modifying their schedules to help us plan ahead in the event of unsafe conditions caused by bad weather.
Wednesday’s Schedule:
Lexington One will dismiss school early on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
· Elementary Schools (including full day preschool classes) dismiss at 11:20 a.m.
· Pre-school half-day classes, both morning and afternoon sessions, are canceled.
· Middle Schools: All middle schools, except GMS, dismiss at 12:05 p.m. GMS dismisses at 12:15 p.m.
· High Schools: LHS, WKHS and RBHS dismiss at 12:45 p.m. PHS and GHS dismiss at 12:25 p.m.
· All high school students who attend LTC, TCC or an Advanced Center of Study should follow their Collaborative Planning Day
schedule on Wednesday.
Lunch will be served Wednesday.
All after-school activities including after-school care are canceled on Wednesday.
Thursday’s Schedule
On Thursday, August 31, 2023, Lexington One schools will start after a two-hour delay. This means school start times are two hours later than normal. School bus riders should report to their bus stops two hours later than their usual times.
High school students who attend LTC, TCC or an Advanced Center of Study will receive more detailed information about Thursday’s schedule.
Lunch will be served Thursday.
The delay on Thursday gives district and transportation officials time to assess the road conditions before buses start running their morning routes. The weather is unpredictable, and the impact of the storm is unknown. Depending on the storm’s impact, the district may need to change plans early Thursday morning. We will notify employees and families of any changes as quickly as possible.
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