Powell County Schools cancels classes Wednesday after overnight storms cause power outages, damage at school buildings

Powell County Schools canceled classes for Wednesday following overnight storm impacts that left a large portion of the county without power and created problems at two school buildings, according to a district announcement posted on Facebook. The district said the decision was made to protect students and staff and to ensure safe building conditions while crews address the outage and storm-related damage.

The announcement, shared Tuesday, directed families to plan for no in-person instruction on Wednesday. It also indicated that the district will evaluate conditions before deciding on the next school day, with the immediate priority focused on restoring electricity and resolving facility issues.

In the Facebook post, Powell County Schools linked the closure to the extent of the power outages across the county as well as “issues at two school buildings.” Those issues, as described by the district, were tied to the same storm system affecting the area overnight.

The district’s decision means students and staff will lose a day of scheduled instruction, shifting the burden to families to adjust work and childcare plans. For households affected by the outages, the closure also reduces the need for students and caregivers to travel during a period when transportation and communication systems may be disrupted.

The storm-related impacts come as local utility crews typically prioritize restoring power, first to critical services and then to remaining residential and institutional customers. While the district’s update centered on school conditions, the outage breadth described in the announcement indicates that the effects were not isolated to a single neighborhood.

Powell County Schools did not provide detailed information in the announcement about the specific repairs needed at each of the two buildings or when power restoration would be completed. The district’s next steps, including whether Wednesday’s cancellation affects additional days, will depend on how quickly electricity and building systems can be brought back to safe operating levels.

Families were advised to monitor district communications for further updates. As crews continue work on the storm impacts, the district’s immediate focus remains on ensuring that any resumption of classes is possible without compromising student and staff safety.