Fayette schools will remain closed for a third day due to power outages, storm damage

Fayette County Public Schools will remain closed Tuesday for a third school day because of continued power outages and storm cleanup.

Friday night’s high winds left considerable damage in Lexington. This is another school cancellation — not an NTI weather day — so there are no classes for students.

Based on the information received after consultation with the Mayor’s Office and officials with Kentucky Utilities, Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins announced that all schools will be closed on Tuesday.

“Despite the incredible efforts of those working to restore electricity, remove debris, and make repairs in the aftermath of Friday’s damaging winds, there are still significant portions of our community where travel is unsafe because of power outages, dark intersections, and blocked roads,” Liggins said, noting that nine schools in the district remain without electricity and 16 others have a variety of issues including internet and/or phone service outages, downed light poles, trees, and communication lines, and minor building damage.

“Our teams are working overtime to address these issues and Kentucky Utilities has assured us that they are prioritizing the restoration of electricity to schools, but are finding repairs to be complicated,” Liggins said in a news release. “In some cases, campuses that did not lose power originally are now dark, while other campuses have been brought online only to go out again.”

Kentucky Utilities has said that power might not be restored citywide until Wednesday night.

Liggins noted that conditions vary across the community.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding that we have to consider a multitude of factors in determining school cancellations. In addition to campus conditions, we also have to consider whether employees can get to work, whether it’s safe for walkers to travel through neighborhoods, and whether buses can run their routes,” Liggins said.

Will these days off affect the rest of the school calendar?

Any decisions about possible makeup days will be going out after spring break, per the district’s usual process.

Which schools have lost power or been damaged?

As of late Monday afternoon, power was out at Garden Springs, James Lane Allen, Liberty, Picadome, Stonewall and Ashland elementary schools, and Morton and Winburn middle schools.

District officials did not identify the 16 schools that have a variety of other issues. At the least, downed communications lines are blocking the entrance of Crawford Middle School, trees have fallen on lines at Glendover Elementary, and a stadium light has fallen over into the stadium at Bryan Station High School.

Originally, Southern Middle School was going to have remote learning Monday and Tuesday because of a fire, but on days that schools have closed, Southern Middle will not have remote learning.

Magnet school decisions are supposed to go out Wednesday. Will that be delayed?

Magnet school offers will be going out as scheduled, according to the district.

Is there somewhere my student(s) can get food?

Any Fayette student may pick up free, boxed breakfasts and lunches between 11 a.m. and noon Tuesday at any of these locations:

• Arlington Elementary
• Booker T. Washington Elementary
• Bryan Station High School
• Cardinal Valley Elementary
• Glendover Elementary
• Lafayette High School
• Lansdowne Elementary
• Lexington Traditional Magnet School
• Mary Todd Elementary
• Southern Elementary
• Tates Creek High School
• William Wells Brown Elementary

This story was originally published March 6, 2023 at 3:54 PM.