Ongoing updates about schools news on Friday, Oct. 4

The following is an ongoing list of news about education-related resources in Western North Carolina in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene. This list will be updated as new information comes in:

News release from Blue Ridge Community College Saturday, Oct. 5:

In light of the recent devastation caused by the hurricane and tropical storm, Blue Ridge Community College will be closed until further notice to ensure the safety and well-being of those in our community.

As we begin to recover, the well-being of our students and employees remains our highest concern. We are actively working to verify their safety through available channels. Students and employees will soon receive a survey via text and email to assess wellness and any physical needs.

Mental health remains a key focus as many continue to face trauma and critical needs.

• Students and their families in need of crisis support can access the Student Assistance Program (SAP) 24/7. The SAP offers virtual, telephonic, chat and in-person sessions, access to state and national relief organizations and relocation/housing services. Students and their families also have access to unlimited telephonic support through the trauma team, which can help with coping strategies during difficult times. For additional assistance or to arrange onsite support, call 800-633-3353. Blue Ridge students can visit mygroup.com and navigate through the following menus: Current Participants, Student Resources and Student-Life Services. The username is “blueridgecc” and the password is “guest.”

• For employees, the Employee Assistance Network (EAN) remains available to those who may need help during this difficult time. The EAN can be reached by phone at 800-454-1477.

We are deeply grateful to our local authorities for their tireless efforts in assisting those in need. To support our college community, we have compiled a list of county and city websites, making it easy to access up-to-date information and resources.

Our intent is to reopen Blue Ridge Community College as soon as possible when essential services are restored and when we can expect safe travel to and on our campuses. Since we share much of the same public infrastructure, we are working closely with our area’s public schools and other educational institutions to ensure a smooth transition back to learning.

As with most areas, our campuses experienced widespread loss of power, road access, water, and internet connectivity, and we are actively working to restore access for a safe return. Since last week, we’ve made great strides in clearing fallen trees and opening roadways. We have also restored power in almost all of our campus buildings. There is more work to do, and we will keep you updated on this progress.

Communication continues to be a significant challenge in our area with inconsistent or no internet or cell service for many. We will post regular updates to www.blueridge.edu/alert, but also to our pages on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X.

Finally, the College has received multiple inquiries about how to support our students and community during this difficult time. In addition to the wonderful work underway by area relief and volunteer organizations, our Educational Foundation is now able to accept donations via their website to help meet the increasing number of needs that surround us. The College invites supporters nationwide to visit www.blueridge.edu/foundation to give online through our “Greatest Need Fund.”

Together, we will navigate these challenging times and rebuild our beloved homes, towns and cities. We extend our deepest sympathies to those who have experienced great and tragic losses. Throughout this journey, Blue Ridge Community College remains committed to our neighbors as we recover and heal as a community.

News release from Warren Wilson College Friday, Oct. 4:

Essential Updates:

– You can see all official campus updates, posted by the President, at the following link: https://www.warren-wilson.edu/weather

– All 750 of our students are safe and accounted for, in addition to all staff/faculty. While our campus did sustain some damage including multiple trees on buildings, flooding of some buildings, and extensive flooding of our 1000+ acre farm and garden, we are incredibly grateful that we are all safe and the damage on our campus compared to our immediate surroundings in the Swannanoa Valley is relatively manageable.

– Our campus continues to be without power and water, but we have a generator running our cafeteria and many staff and faculty are present to band together with remaining students. Most of our student body has returned home, but about 70 students remain on campus including international students and students with specialized skills who wish to stay and help pitch in, particularly with farm maintenance and community service in the local area.

– With community service at the heart of our educational model, our national ranking as a top 20 school for service learning (US News and World Report) has become particularly remarkable in the aftermath of Helene. Our students have mobilized and served countless hours in Swannanoa already, partnering with Hearts with Hands, 12 Baskets, and executing fundraisers to donate supplies.

– We have set a tentative date of October 21st to resume classes. We are focused on ensuring that students remain engaged and complete credits on time, and continue to receive all of the typical academic support services in order to succeed this semester.

News release from Asheville City Councilwoman Maggie Ullman Thursday, Oct. 3:

CITY AND COUNTY SCHOOLS

All facilities are without water, and many have minimal power. This, in addition to road impacts on bus routes, is a major roadblock to bringing students back to school. Schools are working diligently to account for all staff members. If you work for these schools, please contact someone to let them know you are safe.

News release from Buncombe County Wednesday, Oct. 2:

Schools Update
Both Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools had minimal damage to facilities. All facilities are without water, and many have minimal power. This, in addition to road impacts on bus routes, is a major roadblock to bringing students back to school. Schools are working diligently to account for all staff members. If you work for these schools, please contact someone to let them know you are safe. Many facilities are also being used for emergency response staff.

Asheville and Buncombe public schools closed through at least Oct. 4, as of Tuesday, Oct. 1

All public schools are currently closed in Asheville and Buncombe County due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

In a press briefing Tuesday, Oct. 1, Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Rob Jackson and Asheville City Schools Superintendent Maggie Fehrman commented on the status of the school districts.

Fehrman said damage to ACS facilities was minimal, and “nothing we can’t recover from.” The schools will be acting as resource hubs for the recovery effort, and there is no specific reopening timeline.

Jackson said the BCS community is resilient, and that he wants to open schools as soon as possible. However, the availability of water is crucial to schools reopening. Transportation routes are also severely impacted, and BCS’ transportation department is in the process of re-mapping the county’s bus routes.

Until a reopening date can be determined, Jackson said the schools community is pitching in to help the community recover in any possible way they can.

Press release from UNC Asheville Monday, Sept. 30:

Since Friday, September 27, UNC Asheville has cared for all students who remained on campus during Tropical Storm Helene. Students have received food and access to potable drinking water.

In advance of the storm, UNC Asheville prepared for the emergency by bringing in non-perishable food items, bottled water, and portable restrooms for campus use; however, those resources are diminishing.

At this time, the University is prioritizing the safe relocation of any students remaining on campus. Arrangements are being made to safely transport all students.

UNC Asheville remains at Condition 3 (Closure) and is currently operating without electricity, running water, cell service, or internet. The University will be closed until at least Monday, October 7. Classes are suspended until at least Wednesday, October 9.

The safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority. Mental health support for students and employees is available. Resources have been shared with the campus community through Bulldog Alert.

With tremendous gratitude, the University is collaborating with local, state, federal, and UNC System partners to support our students and employees. We also thank the community for their continued concern and support.

Please continue to monitor Bulldog Alert at bulldogalert.unca.edu for the most up-to-date information regarding UNC Asheville.

News release from Asheville City Schools Sunday, Sept. 29:

We continue to face challenges in getting updates to our students, staff, and families. We appreciate any support you can provide in letting the community know about school updates through your media resources. Thank you for your continued support and collaboration during this time.

Asheville City Schools will be closed on Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1, due to the ongoing impact of Hurricane Helene on our community.

We prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families. Please stay tuned for updates as we continue to monitor this unprecedented situation.