BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. – Two weeks after a wildfire ripped through Brantley County, destroying dozens of homes in the tight-knit communities of Atkinson and Waynesville, schools are reopening to students on Monday.
Teachers returned to their schools Thursday for the first time since the fires broke out, getting campuses ready ahead of the student return.
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The Highway 82 Fire forced two schools to be evacuated on April 21, the day many in the community lost everything they owned when the drought-fueled wildfire exploded out of control.
The wildfire eventually grew to 22,471 acres and is now 75%.
Because of the trauma they know many students have endured in losing their homes, Brantley County School District officials have made it clear that families dealing with displacement or property loss should not feel rushed to send their children back.
The district shared this information on Friday when the announcement was made about schools reopening:
“With the improvement of fire conditions, we plan to welcome our students back to school on Monday. We also want to say this clearly and with care for families who have been impacted, displaced, or are still navigating property loss, please do not feel any pressure to return to school right away. Your safety, your needs, and your time to recover come first.”
Families are encouraged to take the time they need to heal and recover, and counselors will be available at the schools, officials said.
“Our schools will be open and ready to provide a sense of normalcy, care, and support for the students who are able to return to school,” the district wrote. “At the same time, we remain committed to standing alongside those who are not yet able to come back, continuing to support you in every way we can.”
Atkinson Elementary School, which was one of the two schools that had to evacuate students on April 21, shared the following post on its Facebook page on Sunday:
Our Wolves are coming back home tomorrow.
After days of uncertainty, worry, and real hardship in our community, we are grateful to welcome our Wolves back where they belong—together. School will be a place of comfort, routine, and support as we take these next steps forward side by side.
We also understand that some of our Pack may not be ready to return just yet—and that’s okay. Take the time you need. We are here for you whenever you’re ready.
Our Pack takes care of one another.
We can’t wait to see those smiling faces when the time is right.
Assistant Brantley County Superintendent Dr. Angela Haney said the district has been working with multiple agencies to slowly bring everyone back, but they’re really just so excited to see their staff and students again.
“We are anxious and eager to see our kids, and that’s why we are educators,” Haney said. “We love them, and we are a Brantley County Schools family here.”
Haney said efforts would continue to support families in the weeks and months ahead.
“We want them to know that they’re not alone,” Haney said. “We’re here for them, and we will continue to provide resource support in the coming weeks because we know this is not a short span that we’ve got ahead of us here.”