Hurricane-Ravaged NC Schools Struggle to Reopen, Return to Normal

Thought Question: Think about a time when you faced a big challenge. How did it affect you, and what helped you get through it?

Nearly a month after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, schools in the region are starting to reopen. But it will be a long road back to normal, teachers say.  

In Buncombe County, schools reopen on a two-hour delay on Friday. The county suffered the most damage and it's where the most people were killed in the state. It's where 42 of 95 confirmed deaths happened. Schools in the city of Asheville will go back to school Monday. Twenty-four of the 31 school systems shut down by the September 27 storm have reopened. School systems in Yancey and Mitchell counties remain closed. The rest are scheduled to open this week or in early November.    

Teachers worry about the massive delay and how fast students will be able to catch up. Unlike the COVID-19 pandemic, these school systems couldn't move online. That's because of massive internet disruptions. Schools will also have to deal with the trauma many students have suffered from the loss of homes and loved ones.  

“We’re not going to be able to just jump right into academics,” Asheville City Schools chief of staff Kim Dechant told NBC News. “We really need to address and help them process the emotions that they’ve experienced through this trauma.”

Then there are problems with infrastructure. Some schools are struggling to restore water and sewer hookups. One Asheville school had to drill a well to provide toilets that flush. And school bus routes have had to be changed.  

The fallout could take years to fully understand. Studies of the effect of long-term disasters on students have shown large declines in student performance. That's especially true in math and reading scores. 

Photo of damage from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina from Reuters.