Thursday classes canceled at Brevard Public Schools, EFSC due to Hurricane Helene
All Thursday classes at Brevard Public Schools and Eastern Florida State College have been canceled ahead of Hurricane Helene.
The district expects to reopen on Friday.
According to the district "All after-school activities today ... will operate as normal." "We will continue to update as more information is made available."
According to Don Walker, a spokesperson for the county, Wind speeds at or above 40 miles per hour can make it dangerous for buses to cross causeways.
All Thursday EFSC classes, including on-campus and online courses, and all EFSC events, are canceled. Students should contact their instructors for questions about the impact of the cancellation on class assignments.
"At the present time, the college expects to be open for regular business on Friday, Sept. 27th for classes."
As of yesterday Florida Tech’s website shared that they were monitoring the storm and that all classes were going to proceed as scheduled.
Battery fires warning CC
If you have an electric vehicle, be careful where you place it during the storm.
Jimmy Patronis is the Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshall. He says to keep items like electric scooters, bikes and golf carts away from areas that could flood.
"Saltwater and Lithium Ion batteries do not mix. They become a cascade effect, where they will combust and burn down."
Saltwater degrades batteries and causes a chemical reaction that creates a fire risk.
"if that battery ignites, it could burn down your whole house, so you may survive the storm, but you may not survive the fire afterwards."
Patronis says these battery fires can spread quickly and can be difficult for firefighters to put out.
Board member alleges Brevard Public Schools overpaid up to $500,000 on principals' bonuses
At Tuesday's school board meeting, Brevard School Board member Jennifer Jenkins revealed errors in bonus payments, alleging the district mistakenly spent up to half a million dollars on bonuses for 40 principals and failed to address the issue promptly.
Jenkins said that around Sept. 13, several administrators approached her, concerned about receiving $5,000 bonuses they believed to be overpayments. Upon investigation, Superintendent Mark Rendell was criticized for not clearly communicating about the mistake. The district had overspent between $250,000 and $500,000.
After the meeting, a district spokesperson confirmed the overpayments, which are linked to schools participating in a free breakfast and lunch program. According to BPS Spokesperson Janet Murgnaghan, $200,000 in bonuses was distributed to principals this year, but it's unclear if prior years also saw accidental overpayments.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services Ryan Dufrain explained that an incorrect calculation was used to award school principals bonuses under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. Although 40 principals were overpaid, Dufrain did not specify how long the miscalculations had occurred, despite Jenkins' inquiries.
New lifeguard funding plan approved.
The Brevard County Commission voted Tuesday on how to fund lifeguard services for the upcoming fiscal year. Rick Glasby has more:
After much debate over who would cover the costs, the commission decided to allow cities to continue paying the amount they have traditionally contributed. The decision came as a relief to the City of Cocoa Beach, which would have had to pay 10 times more for lifeguard services. In the end, county officials agreed to adjust the budget, ensuring cities wouldn't face a significant financial burden. For now, lifeguard services in Brevard County will remain unchanged for the next fiscal year.
More info: www.wfit.org
