OCPS schools to close Thursday due to Tropical Storm Helene

Orange County Public Schools representative have announced schools will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26, due to the approaching Tropical Storm Helene.

All after-school activities also must end by 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. 

OCPS officials said the closure is due to the projected sustained wind speeds for Orange County, which are expected to exceed 35 mph, with wind gusts reaching more than 50 mph. 

"That is the threshold for our buses to be safely on the roads," OCPS representatives said in a press release. "The district’s Safety and Emergency Management team works closely with the Orange County Office of Emergency Management and other local officials to ensure the school district’s decision-making is aligned with our partners."

The officials said any decision to close schools on Friday, Sept. 27, will be determined by the timing and impact of the storm on Orange County.

OCPS will communicate all additional updates with families and employees through Connect Orange phone calls, emails and text messages, as well as posts to social media pages and on the website here.