The faculty and staff of Valdosta City Schools will return on Monday, October 7, 2024. Students who are ready and able to return will join us on Tuesday, October 8. We understand our community is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, but our goal is to provide a sense of normalcy for our faculty, staff, and students during this challenging time.
If you are facing obstacles that might prevent your return next week, please know we understand. Our priority is compassion over compliance, and we are here to support you in any way we can.
Since the morning after the hurricane, our dedicated staff have been working tirelessly—assessing damage, clearing debris from our schools, and ensuring our buildings are safe and clean. Our technology team has been hard at work trying to restore our network, while the school nutrition department, alongside a team of volunteers, has prepared and distributed shelf-stable meals to our families. Our transportation team has also been running mock routes so that buses can safely navigate their paths.
Given these efforts, we have determined that it will be safest for our buses to operate only after sunrise. From Tuesday, October 8, through Friday, October 11, buses will begin their routes at 7:30 a.m. each day. Drivers will exercise extra caution, as debris still lines many roads. Afternoon drop-offs may also experience delays as students are transported home. We plan to release detailed arrival and dismissal times by noon on Monday, October 7.
We look forward to welcoming our Wildcat family back into our secure, air-conditioned schools, where students will receive two meals each day and, more importantly, the love and support they need during this difficult time. Please note that fall break remains scheduled for the week of October 14 through 18.
Though this storm has turned our community upside down, we are strong together. With over 1,200 staff members ready to embrace and care for our 8,400 students, we are confident that we will emerge from this stronger than ever. At VCS, we live #The3VWay, holding onto our vision and values as we move forward with resilience, rebuilding after Hurricane Helene.