- Students were expected to return to class on Tuesday but will not return until after Fall break on October 16.
- The district says lingering issues from Hurricane Helene are responsible for the delay.
- Hurricane Milton evacuees have gridlocked I-75 northbound causing additional concerns about traffic for bus drivers.
- Watch the video to hear how neighbors are navigating the extended fall break.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Lake Park is right off I-75 on Exit 5.
Majority of students who live here attend Lowndes County Schools, including Lake Park Elementary.
It's also home to former mayor Oscar Griffin.
"I love Lake Park. It's a small community, but we work together to come as one."
Griffin has two sons that attend Lowndes High School.
They are among the students who got an early fall break due to the storm.
"My first thought was getting some food cause my boys can eat you out of house and home."
Griffin and I toured the streets of Lake Park, surveying the lingering damage from the storm.
While most of the roads have cleared, crews are still working on debris removal, making it hard for buses and students to come through.
Lowndes County Schools Superintendent Sandra Wilcher says local roads are not the only concern.
Thousands of Hurricane Milton evacuees have grid-locked 1-75 northbound; this would make it even harder for school buses that use the highway to reach areas like Lake Park as well as Hahira.
Superintendent Wilcher says she attended Lake Park Elementary growing up, so she knows how hard it would be to get to certain county areas.
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN BACK TO CLASS AFTER FALL BREAK ON OCTOBER 16TH.
In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
