Hurricane Irma: Lee County schools won't open until Sept. 25

A portable campus at Lehigh Elementary School had ceiling tiles and insulation fall into the classroom area.

Lee County schools won't open until Sept. 25, school district officials said Thursday.

Most of Lee County schools are powerless, and all of them have damage.

Just some worse than others.

This was announced by the district Wednesday evening in a news statement that recounts the impact Hurricane Irma had on its 95 traditional public schools.

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As of Wednesday night, 54 are without electricity, and most of the damage reported ranges from flooding and downed trees and limbs to roof leaks and damage caused by wind.

A portable at Lehigh Elementary School, for example, lost ceiling tiles, resulting in insulation crashing onto a teacher's desk and sitting carpet. At Caloosa Middle School, damage includes wet ceiling tiles — pointing to a leaky roof.

Staff has been assessing the damage since Monday, and large-scale cleanup efforts were kicked into high gear today when about 600 extra employees were called into duty to help fix up local campuses. 

Vendors were also been tapped to help with larger projects, explained spokeswoman Lauren Stillwell.

"As cleanup continues, some of our schools are still sheltering Irma evacuees, including Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School, East Lee County High School and Ray V. Pottorf Elementary," Stillwell stated in the message to the media. "In addition, some of our schools will be used as distribution sites for food and water."

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