Upper Arlington families now have a confirmed first day of school: Aug. 17, five days later than planned.
The district announced the revised schedule Aug. 12, after severe storms the night before knocked out power to school buildings and left neighborhoods littered with downed trees and blocked roads. The original start date was Aug. 12.
The district said it consulted with the City of Upper Arlington on conditions around schools before making the call, according to NBC4. The delay, the district posted, will reduce car and foot traffic in storm-damaged neighborhoods, giving crews space to continue cleanup and ensure buildings, grounds, streets and sidewalks are safe for students.
Here is the confirmed staggered schedule, per the district's updated calendar:
- Monday, Aug. 17: First day for grades 1–5, 6th grade and 9th grade. Kindergarten orientation for students originally scheduled for Aug. 12.
- Tuesday, Aug. 18: School in session for grades 1–12. Kindergarten orientation for students originally scheduled for Aug. 13.
- Wednesday, Aug. 19: All students, K–12, in session.
Burbank Early Childhood School will also begin as scheduled on Aug. 17.
Charging centers open now
While school buildings won't host classes until next week, Hastings and Jones middle schools opened Aug. 13 and will remain open Aug. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. as charging centers and respite areas for residents still without electricity.
The Bob Crane Community Center and all three Upper Arlington public library branches are also available for charging and air conditioning, according to the city's storm update.
Families dealing with power or WiFi outages have until Aug. 17 to submit school forms and fees.
Storm damage drove the decision
The Aug. 11 storms produced wind gusts of 82 mph and generated roughly 225 calls for service to Upper Arlington police and fire, according to the Columbus Dispatch. No one was injured. Trees fell on at least 10 homes, and an Upper Arlington Police Division officer escaped harm after a tree fell on a cruiser near Riverside Drive and McCoy Road.
On Wellesley Drive, one block from Upper Arlington High School, the storm uprooted trees, lifted concrete sidewalk slabs and blocked multiple roads. As we reported Wednesday, the city was responding to more than 100 reports of downed trees and power lines as of 9:30 a.m. that morning, with several streets still impassable.
"The city was out here right away, and AEP has been here fast, and it's been pretty awesome … So to get this cleared up as fast as they did was pretty remarkable," Upper Arlington resident Michael Shonk told WSYX on Aug. 11, describing cleanup efforts on Wellesley Drive.
Student-athletes should expect communication from coaches regarding activities during the delay. Families can monitor updates at uaschools.org.
