SC Staff Report
Three months after being displaced by Hurricane Ian, Sanibel students and teachers are expected to return to their island classrooms in January, the same time Lee County will reinstate tolls at the Causeway and the City of Sanibel is considering lifting the hurricane reentry pass restriction to aid in recovery.
While their school has been temporarily closed, learning continued across the bridge at San Carlos Park Elementary, where there is enough room for the students, teachers and administrative staff to be together.
Assistant Director of Media Relations for the Lee County School District Rob Spicker said keeping the students and teachers together has given them a sense of normalcy in this very uncertain time.
Spicker said the Sanibel School sustained damage from heavy flooding and renovations are underway. He added there is not a specific timeline for the doors to reopen, but they project it will be sometime in January.
The highly-rated Sanibel School has 259 students enrolled in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade with an 11:1 student-teacher ratio. It was selected as a Blue Ribbon School in 2007 and ranked within the top 5 percent of Florida schools.
Education outside the classroom is the specialty of The Sanibel Sea School, where students learn about nature in nature and to love the ocean. Its programs have been put on hold, but staff are looking for ways to reinstate them as the organization recovers from Ian.
Sea School Director Shannon Rivard said they are working to keep their homeschool program running for those students. In the meantime, they are offering two programs on select days during the winter break.
“A Day on the Bay,” in partnership with Captiva Cruises, will be Dec. 28 and Jan. 4. The Sea School has also teamed up with IMAG History and Science Center to host day camps Dec. 29-30 and Jan. 5-6.
The Sanibel Sea School, part of the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation family, educates the community about our marine ecosystems – animals, people, plants, land, ocean and weather. Learn more about Sea School programming visit its website.
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