After a thorough assessment of our facilities, road conditions, and the ability to successfully prepare meals for students, the School District of Pickens County is pleased to announce that we will return to normal operations on Monday, October 7, 2024.
Our transportation staff has also assessed bus routes and determined that buses will not travel on roads that are impassable by large vehicles.
CLICK HERE for a LIST of current IMPASSABLE ROADS on SDPC Bus Routes - https://bit.ly/3BGexMF
We are deeply grateful for the patience, flexibility, and support of our SDPC community during this time. The efforts of our staff, transportation teams, and local authorities have been critical in helping us prepare for a safe return to school.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school administration directly. We are excited to welcome students back on Monday, October 7, and look forward to resuming normal operations.
Thank you for your continued support.
PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Due to remaining power outages and hazardous road conditions in parts of our county, the School District of Pickens County will observe an eLearning day on Friday, October 4, 2024. Currently, approximately 15% of the county is still without power, and our transportation staff has assessed routes today and determined that many roads remain unsafe for school and bus travel.
Our goal is to return to normal operations on Monday, October 7.
eLearning days allow us to use the day as a make-up without needing to add additional days to the school calendar, while school closures must be made up according to state law. We will document this day as an eLearning day, but we will extend extreme grace in the assignments provided and the timeline for collecting student work. We understand that many families are still dealing with significant challenges, and our teachers will work with families to ensure flexibility in meeting these expectations.
Additionally, school buildings will be open to families on Friday from 10 AM to 12 PM. If your student needs internet access for their Chromebooks, needs to charge devices, or if you'd like to take advantage of the air conditioning for a short while, you are welcome to stop by.
We appreciate your patience and support as we continue to monitor conditions and prepare for a safe return to school.
Due to continued concerns over power outages, unsafe road conditions, and the need to keep roads clear for emergency workers, schools are closed on Wednesday, October 2, and Thursday, October 3, 2024.
These days are not eLearning—we are closed.
The main reasons for the closures include a lack of stable power across the district, a number of roads that are passable but still unsafe, and a number of non-operational traffic signals. We also respectfully ask that families minimize travel on county roads to allow emergency workers easier access to areas needing support. We are still without power in a number of sites, but we are hopeful power will be restored by the end of the week. After power is restored, staff will then need time to prepare schools for reopening and ensure meal service is ready for students.
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as soon as possible about operations on Friday. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and please stay safe.
Due to widespread power outages and the continuing impact of Hurricane Helene, schools are closed on Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
These days are not eLearning - we are closed. No assignments will be given for 9/30 and 10/1, and extreme grace will be provided for the eLearning assignments from Friday.
Please understand that one of the main reasons we are closing schools is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Additionally, we respectfully ask families to help minimize travel on county roads during this time. This is needed to allow our emergency workers to access areas needing support more easily.
We are incredibly grateful to the men and women working hard to restore power and serve our community during this difficult time. Please keep those working nonstop in your thoughts and prayers as they help us return to normalcy.
Friday, September 27, 2024 will be an eLearning Day for the School District of Pickens County (SDPC) due to Hurricane Helene’s predicted path and concerns with high winds for school buses and hazardous conditions. Students will not attend school in-person.
In addition, all evening activities scheduled for Thursday, September 26, after 5:00 p.m. are canceled. After-school daycare will still be provided, but no other activities will take place afterward.
Announcements regarding Friday night and weekend activities will be made by 2 p.m. on Friday.
This decision was made after the SDPC Weather Team consulted with state and county agencies regarding the forecast for Friday.
eLearning Days allow students to make up days missed due to inclement weather or other emergencies by completing a set of assignments within 5 school days. This will be eLearning Day #1 for the 2024-25 school year.
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 - 4:00 pm
The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) is monitoring weather conditions which could impact our state later this week.
We are monitoring weather conditions and will continue to work with our state and county partners to prepare for any impacts to our area.
Please keep up with information from your school regarding athletic events or after-school activities that could be affected due to anticipated weather.
In the event we must close schools or alter our operations this week, we will send automated calls and emails to all SDPC families. Please make sure your emergency contact information is up to date so you can receive district communications.
Continue to follow our website and social media accounts for updates.
Note about eLearning Days:
Each year, typically during the winter, our schools have to prepare for the possibility of inclement weather. The School District of Pickens County is one of the SC school districts that meets the criteria for an eLearning district as determined by the Department of Education. This means that when schools close for inclement weather in Pickens County, students will have an eLearning Day to complete schoolwork online and the canceled school day does not have to be made up!
When SDPC has an eLearning Day, students will have five days to complete assignments for the day. For students in grades K5-12, in which all students have school-issued Chromebooks, the work can be completed on their device. Students in earlier grades may also be given a list of traditional assignments to complete within five days.
All school buildings and offices will be closed for eLearning days.
If assignments are not completed within five days, the student will be marked absent.
As inclement weather approaches, students should prepare by making sure their Chromebooks are charged in case of power outages.
Teachers will have assignments available and will hold office hours which they will communicate to their students and parents directly.
Remind students that one of the benefits of having eLearning Days is that the canceled school day does not have to be made up! This means we keep our scheduled days with no school and our last day of school will remain as scheduled.
Visit www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/spdc-calendars to see our full 2024-25 calendar.
For more detailed information regarding eLearning Days, please visit our eLearning Day website.
If school is canceled due to inclement weather, SDPC will communicate the closure through phone calls, text messages, email, our website, social media posts, and news media. Our goal is always to announce a closure as early as possible and never later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of the cancellation.