10/15/2026
Jr. Panthers Families,
There is important information in this post about Monday’s return to school. Please take a few minutes to read it in its entirety.
October 15 Update -
Our thoughts continue to be with our students, families, and employees who are navigating the challenges of recovery following Hurricane Isaias. As we prepare to reopen schools, we remain committed to supporting our community every step of the way.
Our goal remains to reopen all 36 Santa Rosa County District Schools on Monday, October 19. We are continuing to assess school facilities and operations, and we will provide daily updates as we approach reopening. If any school requires an alternative schedule or location, families will be notified immediately.
Student and Staff Support
We recognize this storm has been a traumatic experience for many students, families, and employees. Additional counselors and support personnel will be available as students and staff return, and our schools are prepared to provide emotional support during this transition.
Medication Information
Due to recent power outages, temperature-sensitive medications stored in school clinic refrigerators have been compromised, and any affected temperature-sensitive medications, including insulin and other refrigerated medications, must be discarded and replaced before they can be administered at school.
If your child has a medication stored in the school clinic that requires refrigeration or temperature-controlled storage, please contact your child's healthcare provider and/or pharmacy as soon as possible to obtain a replacement medication. Once obtained, please provide the replacement medication to the school clinic. School health staff may contact you directly if records indicate that your child has medication stored at school that may have been affected by the power outage. If you have any questions, please contact your school's clinic staff.
Displaced Families
If your family's living situation has changed because of the storm, please notify your child's school and complete the required residency information so we can connect you with available resources and support services.
Transportation
To the extent possible, we will run our normal bus routes. Bus routes will be driven this week to identify bus stops impacted by storm debris. The county will then work to remove debris from those locations before students return to school on Monday. Debris removal across the county is expected to continue for several weeks. To help ensure student safety, parents and guardians will need to walk students to and from their bus stops.
Food Services
Regular school meal service will resume upon reopening. Families whose income has been impacted by Hurricane Isaias are encouraged to apply or reapply for free and reduced-price meal benefits through MySchoolApps or by visiting www.myschoolapps.com
Community Resources
If you need assistance, 211 Northwest Florida is available 24 hours a day. Call or text 211 to connect with storm-related resources and support services.
If you need help with storm cleanup, contact the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 1-800-451-1954.
Recovery will take time, and we know many families are still facing challenges. Please know that our schools are here to support you, and we are committed to caring for our students, families, and employees as we move forward together. While much recovery work remains ahead, our goal continues to be reopening schools on Monday, October 19, and welcoming everyone back to our campuses
