Indian River School District

After anticipating Hurricane Sandy for days in advance, expecting the worst and hoping for the best, the area was hit with winds and rain from the brunt of the storm for most of the day and into the night on Monday as she made landfall near Atlantic City, N.J. In our area, there was widespread coastal and inland flooding, downed limbs and trees, but for the most part, the state faired well as a whole.

A coastal flood warning is in effect until midnight Monday night, as the eye of Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall south of Atlantic City, N.J., according to National Weather Service officials. A flood watch is in effect through Tuesday afternoon. A high wind warning is in effect from 8 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Gov. Jack Markell has ordered a Level 2 Driving Restriction begining as of 5 a.m., Monday, October 29,2012.

The Delaware National Guard is continuing to position troops and equipment as #SandyDE approaches.

The Edison Electric Institute, the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies, offered the following tips for local residents ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Sandy and the anticipated related power outages:

If a severe storm is approaching:
Visit your local electric company’s Web site for the latest updates and guidance on how to prepare for storms.

Gov. Jack Markell has issued a limited state of emergency and a mandatory evacuation order for flood-prone area within .75 miles of Sussex County’s coastline and major waterways, effective at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, as Hurricane Sandy continues to threaten the Mid-Atlantic region with strong winds, severe tidal flooding and torrential rains that could span Sunday to Tuesday.

Beebe Medical Center has announced Hurricane Sandy-related cancellations, including:
• All elective surgery and elective cardiac catheterizations scheduled for Monday, Oct. 29, will be canceled.
• All Beebe satellite locations, including the Beebe Health Campus and departments that operate Monday-through-Friday schedules, will be closed on Monday, Oct. 29, as well.

Gov. Jack Markell announced at 5 p.m. on Saturday that Delaware was entering a limited state of emergency to facilitate an evacuation over a 24-hour period. Beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday night, communities within .75 miles of the coast in Sussex and Kent counties, as well as flood areas in western Sussex County, should evacuate their homes.

A coastal flood watch has been issued for Sussex County, including the beach areas, running through at least Monday afternoon. According to the National Weather Service, the evolution of Hurricane Sandy into a powerful storm currently predicted to cross the New Jersey coast Monday evening will mean at least two tide cycles of potentially moderate to major flooding.

The Delaware state climatologist and DEMA held a “bridge call” with municipal officials on Friday evening, in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. Officials said that the latest storm track had Sandy making landfall on the Delaware coastline around Cape Henlopen, likely sometime early Tuesday morning.

As of Friday evening, Hurricane Sandy was on track to directly hit Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic in the days ahead, based on forecasts, threatening to lash the region with up to two days’ worth of hurricane-force winds, a 10-foot-high combined surge and tide, and torrential rains that could measure as much as a foot deep in some places.

Take Saturday to prepare, advised Gov. Jack Markell, in light of expected high winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Sandy from Sunday through the early part of next week.

“It is forecasted to be a long-lasting event,” he said on Friday, noting that rain, wind and flooding likely. “The duration is what we are most concerned about.”

UPDATED Sunday, Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m.
Cancellations due to Hurricane Sandy include the following:

Both the Indian River School District and Sussex Technical School District have closed schools and offices on Monday, Oct. 29, and Tuesday, Oct. 31.

All University of Delaware classes are suspended Monday, Oct. 29, and officials were strongly encouraging students to go home.

Indian River High School students are sharing their love of literature with their elementary-school counterparts this month, in the first annual Leo Club Book Drive.

Sometimes the toughest part of parenthood is preparing for “the talk.” But kids also need to discuss their troubles, so Indian River School District’s Parent Center is aiming to help adults approach the topic of depression at a Lifelines Teen Crisis Prevention workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

The Indian River High School marching band is off and marching for the 2012-2013 school year!

Teachers nationwide have expressed concerns, and now Indian River School District is stepping into the muddy water of teacher evaluations based on student growth.

This year, Delaware is implementing the fifth and final part of the Delaware Performance Appraisal System, called Component V.

Component V ties teacher evaluation to student growth.

On a sunny day haunted by mosquitoes, the Indian River boys and girls cross-country teams opened the season at home with good attitudes and room to improve.

After a year of rockets, music and bridge design, the Indian River School District is bringing chemistry home to students’ own kitchens at the district’s final STEM workshop in the series designed for all ages.

The Indian River School District is looking for interested candidates to represent District 2 on the Board of Education, filling a seat recently vacated by Patricia Oliphant. The district made the announcement Sept. 7.

A brand new school year means a fresh start for field hockey at Indian River High School.

One week before the start of the school year, the coastal community was jolted by a fatal car collision that killed 17-year old Jacqueline M. “Jackie” Pavik of Dagsboro on Sunday, Aug. 26.

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden and Deputy Attorney General Patricia Dailey Lewis spoke to teachers, administrators and other Indian River School District employees this week on the topics of cyberbullying and mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse. The pair spoke at Indian River High School first, and then Dailey spoke at Sussex Central High School later in the morning, in an effort to accommodate all district staff.

Football fans are being invited to join the party at Indian River High School, with tailgate passes being made available for all home games this season.