Knox County Schools to donate to regional flood relief and cleanup efforts

Knox County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk announced at Monday's work session that the district will provide assistance to school systems impacted by flooding. (Screenshot)

Knox County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk announced Monday that the district will provide assistance to school systems impacted by flooding from Hurricane Helene, which state officials said left at least five people dead and 100 missing across East Tennessee.

During Monday’s Board of Education work session meeting, Rysewyk said KCS leaders have been in contact with officials from other neighboring districts that have been most impacted by the floods to assess their needs. He added that KCS will join in regional efforts to provide surrounding communities with donations such as bottled water and canned food, as well as materials for cleanup and rescue efforts like ropes, duct tape, and flashlights.

“My thoughts and prayers have been with the communities impacted by the hurricane recently. I was on a text thread this weekend with superintendents from across the state discussing the aftermath and how we can support our neighbors,” he said. “I want you all to know that KCS will be helping to provide aid to impacted districts in Upper East Tennessee.”

Rysewyk said those donations will soon be delivered to “all surrounding counties.”

“We do know this will be a long recovery process. KCS will be proactively supporting the work of cleanup and restoration so our neighbors can maintain their academic mission even in the wake of this tragedy,” he said.

In other business, Rysewyk reminded students and staff that the district will remain vigilant about school safety concerns, following a recent string of threats on social media against schools across the state. He noted that students can also report suspicious behavior and concerns about potential school violence anonymously via the district’s new Text-To-Tip app.

“I want you to know that we understand how concerning and how disruptive this can be. I also want to reassure you that we will continue to take every threat seriously,” he said. “Please continue to say something when you see something.”