TAMPA, Fla. — Some Tampa Bay area schools are still closed after Hurricane Milton brought heavy flooding and strong wind gusts to Florida.
The list will be updated as more schools announce their plans on reopening. Check with the school's website and social media channels for additional information.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Hillsborough County Public Schools will be closed through Friday, Oct. 11. School district officials said the decision allows the county to convert schools into shelters for those needing to evacuate and gives families and district staff time to prepare their own storm plans.
Get more information on the district's website and social media channels.
In addition, Westminster Academy will also be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8 - 9. Monday will be a normal day, but no afterschool care will be provided, officials said.
PASCO COUNTY
Pasco County Schools announced that all schools and district offices will be closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (Oct. 7 - 9). All extracurricular activities, athletic events, and after-school programs are also canceled for these days. The district said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
Families and staff are encouraged to follow the district's website and social media channels for the latest information.
PINELLAS COUNTY
All Pinellas County Schools and offices will be closed through Friday, Oct. 11. All sports and school activities scheduled for those dates are also canceled.
Updates will be posted on the district website and social media channels.
POLK COUNTY
In a statement, the system said: "Based on the most current forecast, we do not expect significant weather in Polk County tomorrow, Monday, Oct. 7. Consequently, all PCPS schools and offices will remain open during regular hours tomorrow.
However, we will be canceling or rescheduling Monday’s after-school programs and sports. For specific information about rescheduled events, we encourage you to reach out to your child’s school directly.
Please be advised that all PCPS schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, Oct. 8, Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Thursday, Oct. 10, in response to this storm."
Click here to read the full statement.
MANATEE COUNTY
In a statement, the school system said: "All School District of Manatee County Schools will be closed Monday, October 7th through Wednesday, October 9th. All school activities, including athletics, are cancelled Monday through Wednesday.
"Information regarding the remainder of the week will be communicated after the storm passes, shelter operations conclude, and teams have had an opportunity to assess the condition of district campuses.
HERNANDO COUNTY
In a statement, the system said: "This afternoon, the Hernando County Emergency Operations Center activated local agencies to prepare for Tropical Storm Milton. As a result, all Hernando schools and district offices will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct 8-9) with a decision for reopening expected midweek. During this closure, all before and after-school care services will be suspended, and all after-school activities and athletic events are cancelled or will be rescheduled."
CITRUS COUNTY
The Citrus County School District has been working closely with Citrus County Emergency Management to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Milton.
Since timing of Milton has adjusted indicating our area will be experiencing impacts of Milton into early Thursday morning, schools will also be closed for Thursday, October 10th and Friday, October 11th.
All after-school extracurricular activities are also canceled for the rest of the week.
We will keep you updated as we receive additional information about this system's impact on our schools.
SARASOTA COUNTY
All traditional public schools will be closed from Monday, Oct. 7, through Wednesday, Oct. 9, in preparation for possible shelter openings. District officials said to look out for e-mails and text messages for any updates.
Track announcements on its social media channels.
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Saint Leo University will be closed and classes will be canceled Monday, Oct. 7, through Thursday, Oct. 10, at its Tampa area locations:
- University Campus (33701 County Road 52, St. Leo, FL 33574)
- Tampa Education Center (1403 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33607)
- Center for Adult Learning (University Campus and Pasco-Hernando State College locations)
All Saint Leo employees are to report to work on Monday to prepare their workspaces for the storm, university officials said.
The University of South Florida announced Thursday that all campuses will remain closed until at least Saturday, Oct. 12 after officials assessed the university's facilities.
A decision about resuming normal class schedules on Oct. 14 will be made after teams from USF can further assess each campus and conditions around the Tampa Bay region, officials said. The university is working to get residence halls and dining options reopened for students as soon as possible.
University of Tampa classes will resume on Monday, Oct. 14. Please see www.ut.edu/weather for more information.
In a statement, the school said: "The College will remain open on Monday, Oct. 7. All campuses and offices will be closed from Tuesday, Oct. 8 through Wednesday, Oct. 9.
The SPC Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Oct. 8, but all other scheduled events and activities are canceled.
We will continue monitoring this storm closely and will provide an update by Monday afternoon regarding any other potential closures for the rest of this week."
Due to the storm, officials announced that the campus will remain closed through Friday, Oct. 11. Officials advised students and staff to visit their website for any additional information.
Polk State College will reopen on Monday, October 14, following Hurricane Milton. Saturday classes will not take place as crews continue to clear debris and ensure the safety of all College locations ahead of returning to normal operations on Monday. It is important that students, employees, and visitors do not return to campus until Monday as cleanup continues to ensure everyone's safety.
The following events are postponed: the October 12 FallFest, the October 15 Haines City-Davenport Campus groundbreaking ceremony, and the October 15 open house on the Winter Haven Campus. New dates will be shared when determined.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to exercise flexibility with students who may not have power, internet, or transportation. Additionally, the College has compiled a list of resources available by clicking here to assist students, employees, and community members with recovering from the impacts of the storm.
Students are encouraged to communicate with their professors as feasible and monitor their my.polk.edu and Canvas accounts as connectivity is available.