UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. — Unicoi County Schools are hoping to reopen on Oct. 28, around four weeks after devastating flooding swept through the area. John English, the director of schools, said he knows that some hurdles remain as the community recovers from the flooding.
“We hope we make it. There are some things that still have to be worked out, but we feel good about that,” English said.
Flood damage has forced the district to relocate students from Temple Hill Elementary School, which is currently unable to reopen. English said the elementary school will now be housed within a middle school, and the move is happening this week in preparation for the reopening.
The flooding also destroyed several roads and bridges, making transportation one of the key challenges for the district.
"We're spending this week going through all the bus routes, trying to figure out how to get the kids to school. We could take a bus here before, but we can't now," said English.
Despite these challenges, the primary goal remains to provide students with a sense of normalcy.
“They need their friends, teachers, and counselors. That’s been the biggest struggle—knowing how badly we need to make that happen, even though we can’t right now,” English said.
English said that the county should know by Thursday or Friday whether or not the target date will be finalized.