Good evening YCS family,
I cannot thank you all enough for the incredible work you have been doing across our schools over the past several days. In multiple community meetings, visitors and local leaders have praised our dedicated school employees for their tireless efforts in the shelters, preparing and serving meals, and assisting with supplies and donations. Your teamwork and commitment to our kids and families are truly remarkable.
We ask that all YCS employees whose homes and families are safe to continue helping those in greatest need. Rest assured, Yancey County Schools employees will continue to receive pay during this time. For funding purposes, timesheets are being collected from those who are able to work. We need assistance in the shelters and distribution centers at South Toe Elementary, Blue Ridge Elementary, Cane River Middle School, and at Mountain Heritage High School.
Please communicate your family’s needs with your principals and directors. We know many of you have suffered great personal losses—homes, vehicles, bridges, and loved ones. We are here to support you through this devastation, so let us know how we can help.
We will assess the situation weekly and make a decision about school reopening each Thursday. We are working closely with local officials and monitoring the infrastructure rebuild. Remote learning will only be an option when the majority of our families have electricity and internet service. We will continue to update you on progress.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone in our community—Emergency Management, the Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement, first responders, EMS, Rescue Squad, firefighters, NCDOT workers, and the linemen who’ve been working around the clock to restore our beautiful community.
Sincerely,
Kathy Amos