In response to the threat of severe weather, two Lowcountry school districts in South Carolina have announced schedule changes for Friday. Colleton County School District and Orangeburg County School District have decided to implement E-learning days to ensure the safety of their students and staff.

Colleton County School District has informed students and parents that all assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Teachers will be available throughout the day to provide assistance. In the event of a power outage or internet service interruption, students will be given extra time to complete their work. The district has canceled all events and athletic activities scheduled for Friday, but athletic events set for Saturday will proceed as planned. Staff and students will resume regular school activities on Tuesday.

Similarly, Orangeburg County School District has made the decision to close all school and district buildings on Friday. Additionally, all afterschool programs and athletic events, including practices and games, have been canceled. The district cited the presence of two weather systems expected to impact the area. The first system is predicted to begin around 2 p.m. with wind gusts of up to 20 mph, while the second system, anticipated around 4 p.m., may bring stronger wind gusts exceeding 30 mph. District officials have determined that such gusts would make it unsafe for school buses to travel. Students and staff will resume classes on Tuesday.

As of Thursday afternoon, no other Lowcountry school districts have announced any changes to their schedules. The Charleston County School District stated that it is closely monitoring the situation but does not anticipate any alterations to its normal operations. Similarly, the Beaufort County School District confirmed that it plans to remain open for the regular school day.

In addition to the school districts, the Charleston County Public Library has also adjusted its hours due to the adverse weather conditions. All library branches and offices will close at 4 p.m. on Friday. Normal operations are expected to resume on Saturday, with book drops and automated material returns reopening as well. However, patrons are kindly requested not to leave any items outside of the book drops. In the meantime, the library encourages individuals to access its digital resources by visiting ccpl.org.

With the safety of students, staff, and the community as the top priority, these proactive schedule changes and closures aim to minimize potential risks associated with the approaching severe weather.