Polk State College will close 5 p.m. Tuesday, remain closed through Wednesday

Posted on by Polk Newsroom

8:30 A.M. 8/29/23 UPDATE: Polk State College’s Emergency Management Team continues to meet and monitor Tropical Storm Idalia. The 7 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center reported that Idalia is forecast to move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico today and reach the coast of Florida within the Hurricane Warning area on Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph with higher gusts.

Polk State College and its collegiate high schools will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, and remain closed through Wednesday, August 30. The College is expected to reopen on Thursday, August 31. Polk State’s Emergency Management Team will continue to meet and will determine whether an extension of the closure is needed by Wednesday afternoon.

6:30 p.m. 8/28/23 UPDATE: Based on the 5 p.m. report from Polk County Emergency Management, Tropical Storm Idalia continues to strengthen and is expected to form into a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall in Florida on Wednesday. While the storm is currently expected to make landfall near Cedar Key, Polk County is expected to accumulate 4 to 6 inches of rain over an 18– to 24-hour period and have a threat of tornadoes and high winds beginning Tuesday evening.

In an abundance of caution, Polk State College and its collegiate high schools will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, and remain closed through Wednesday, August 30. The College is expected to reopen on Thursday, August 31. Polk State’s Emergency Management Team continues to meet and will determine whether an extension of the closure is needed by Wednesday afternoon.

Students are encouraged to communicate with their instructors, check Canvas, and their my.polk.edu email accounts for updates on classes and assignments.

College officials also encourage students, faculty, and staff to ensure their contact information in Passport is up to date to receive emergency alerts from Polk State. Students should check under “My Details” and employees should check under “Personal” and “Change Contact Info.” Numbers entered in the “Cellular Number” field in the “Personal Information” section will be used for emergency voice and text messages.

Additionally, individuals are encouraged to review information on the Polk County Emergency Management website regarding hurricane preparedness, emergency and special needs shelters, and more. Please note that Polk County’s sandbag fill sites are open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The College will continue to monitor the storm and will provide updates on polk.edu, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.