Instead of starting school as planned this week, districts across eastern Kentucky are assessing flood damage, operating schools as shelters and grieving for lost students and staff.
At least 37 people were killed when high water swept through eastern Kentucky starting on July 26, state officials said. Later a Knott County High School student died after assisting with clean-up efforts.
At least 13 school buildings were significantly impacted or destroyed by the flooding, said Commissioner Jason Glass. Gov. Andy Beshear estimated the cost to renovate and or replace the buildings would be more than $100 million.
Several districts have delayed their start dates and some are still trying to determine when and where students will return to the classroom.
Beshear said Tuesday that the eastern Kentucky superintendents were doing a “tremendous job” in the wake of the devastation, noting that they are all working hard to figure out where students will go to school this year.
“I’m really impressed where they are already, less than two weeks after this,” he said. “The destruction of a school, of a safe place for these kids, is something none of us wanted to see.”
The state’s disaster declaration covers Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Whitley counties.
Letcher County Superintendent Denise Yonts said during a Superintendents Webcast that six of the district’s buildings were damaged with three schools having eight feet of water inside.
“We won’t know about the structures until we get some cleanup done. My central office was flooded and lost. We’re working right now to retreat and kind of set up shop in our maintenance facility,” she said. “Unfortunately, we lost two staff members.”
Photo: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured the flood damage in eastern Kentucky on Monday with Gov. Andy Beshear. (Photo provided by Gov. Beshear's Office)
