VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – School is back in session Wednesday in Volusia County after being closed for several days while the district cleaned them up. While students will be back, many of their families will still be cleaning or without homes.
“In certain neighborhoods we’re ensuring we’re teaming up to make sure we have extra personnel like mental health counselors and therapists at those schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin.
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She said school leaders will be creating lists of needs from students and staff to give to local organizations who can provide their families with supplies.
Balgobin said school busses will be going to the Ocean Center shelter to pick up students and any staff who need a ride. In other areas, the district said some bus stops and routes will change because of remaining floods.
The information on the relocated bus stops can be found on the county’s storm resource center page here.
Multiple bus stops have been temporarily relocated for the safety of our students. Please visit https://t.co/I1iobG9SKN to access this information. Contact: Nina Broxton, 386-258-4677, ext. 50546 or Shannon Face, 386-258-4677, ext. 50561 with any questions. pic.twitter.com/jELYzI5XRl
— Volusia County Schools (@volusiaschools) October 4, 2022
“There’s some rerouting that will be taking place specifically in DeLand, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Deltona,” she said.
In Daytona Beach, non-profit organizations and agencies like Jeep Beach and Daytona Beach Police Department came together Tuesday to provide cleaning supplies, food, and new clothes and school supplies for children.
“Most people won’t ask, but we need help,” said resident Rashaundra Mayes.
Mayes had been balancing the job of mom to her kids she saved from flooding waters and now, trying to fix their home while watching her four kids.
“They don’t even know the difference between rain and a hurricane. They’re traumatized from it,” she said, “It’s not just my family. Everyone’s going through the same situation.”
Police Chief Jakari Young and his officers were on hand to help the families, many from the Midtown area where he says the majority lost everything in the storm’s floods.
“When you ride down Jean Street, Keach Street, Caroline Street and you look at everybody’s belongings out by the side of the road, that shows you the state that we’re in right now,” he said.
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