Due to scheduling conflicts next week, the September 19th Board Meeting has been cancelled.  The next board workshop and meeting will be held October 3. (Workshop at 5:00 p.m. and Regular Session at 6:00 p.m.).

UPDATE (Sunday, September 10, 8:45 a.m.)

Holmes County Schools will be closed on Monday AND Tuesday.  At this time there are many unknowns associated with this storm, and the decision to close on Tuesday was made out of an abundance of caution.

UPDATE (Thursday, September 7, 8:30 p.m.)

Governor Rick Scott has directed all public schools to close on Friday, September 8 and Monday, September 11 due to Hurricane Irma. We encourage everyone to stay tuned to local news media for updated weather information and to make the necessary preparations in order to stay safe during this dangerous storm.

http://www.flgov.com/2017/09/07/governor-scott-closes-all-k-12-public-schools-state-colleges-state-universities-and-state-offices-to-begin-preparations-immediately/

While it is too early to determine Hurricane Irma's exact path, it's never too early to start begin preparing for a portential weather event.  Below are resources you may find helpful.

National Hurricane Center (Tracking Information) http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/#Irma

State of Florida Hurricane Preparedness Guide http://www.stateofflorida.com/articles/hurricane-preparedness-guide.aspx

Another part of your hurricane preparedness checklist should include downloading the office HDSB mobile app.  The app is free and is available on the App Store (Apple devices) and the Google Play Store (Android devices).  Information regarding possible school closures and road conditions will be updated on the app and this web page.

Out of an abundance of caution, and after much thought and consideration, the decision has been made to close Holmes County Schools on Monday, August 21 due to the solar eclipse.  This includes all extra-curricular activities, including WINGS.  There are many factors that influenced this decision:

• Looking directly into the sun at any time can cause permanent eye damage.  This unusual occurrence will draw more curiosity and attention, making the potential for permanent eye damage much greater.  Staring at the sun for even a short time without wearing the right eye protection can damage the retina permanently, and can even cause blindness.

 

• The timing of the event is such that, if a regular school day is held, dismissal time would occur during the time of the eclipse, risking exposure of students.

 

• The purchase of protective eyewear is not feasible, as there is no way to ensure that a student would not remove the eyewear.  In addition, there have been reports of eyewear being sold and labeled as safe which actually do not meet the strict requirements for safety from potential damage from the eclipse.

While this rare event is a wonderful learning opportunity, we respect parents’ rights to make the decision they feel is best for their children regarding viewing the eclipse.  Please visit https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety and https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/faq for further information.