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Washington County schools to return Oct. 14 after disaster; FEMA opens local center at old Jonesboro Elementary
Summary
Board approved changing the district calendar so students return Oct. 14, citing the recent disaster; staff described a broad local response—shelters, donation distribution and search-and-rescue—and said FEMA has taken space at the old Jonesboro Elementary to serve as a central disaster center.
The Washington County Board of Education approved a change to the school calendar to move students’ return to Oct. 14, rather than Oct. 17, following a recent disaster that disrupted the district. Staff said the adjustment aims to restore routines and give families clearer information amid recovery.
"I make a motion that we change the school calendar for these students to return back to school in Washington County on 10/14/2024 instead of 10/17/2024," a board member said; the motion was seconded and approved.
Staff outlined the district’s disaster response: schools initially served as distribution and shelter sites (South Central and David Crockett) and were later transitioned; donations and distribution centralized at churches and other sites as needs evolved; search-and-rescue teams from several states were hosted at David Crockett and have since begun returning home. Staff also said FEMA had taken occupancy of parts of the old Jonesboro Elementary building that morning and was setting up a central disaster center to assist residents with recovery services.
Officials warned that state waivers of missed instructional days depend on exhausting stockpile days first and that the district must document its use of those days if it later requests a waiver. Board members commended staff, volunteers, churches and first responders for relief efforts and noted ongoing needs for recovery over the coming months.
No formal vote tallies were recorded in the transcript, and staff did not provide an explicit deadline for when FEMA operations at the school site will conclude.
