North Panola Schools Set to Resume Classes After Historic 13‑Day Closure

SARDIS, Miss. — After 13 days out of school, students in the North Panola School District are set to return to class Thursday, February 12 — a date that has been postponed multiple times since Winter Storm Fern first shut down the district on January 26.

What began as a routine weather closure quickly evolved into a prolonged educational disruption as power outages, icy roads, and later, structural damage inside school buildings kept classrooms dark across Panola County.

The winter storm that gripped Panola County from late January into early February left a path of destruction across the region. Fallen trees and debris blocked roadways, prompting a local disaster declaration. Widespread power outages, hazardous travel conditions, and prolonged disruptions to daily life forced schools and colleges into closures and virtual instruction. Recovery efforts remain ongoing, with county emergency management activated to coordinate response and relief as the community continues to assess the storm’s toll.

Initially, the district announced schools and offices would be closed January 26 through January 30 “due to winter weather,” with winter work packets posted online for students. But with large portions of the community without electricity or internet, parents immediately questioned the practicality.

“How do you expect students to do ONLINE packets with NO POWER?” one resident, Zoey Spoon, asked publicly.

By January 30, Superintendent Dr. Wilner Bolden III acknowledged the scope of the crisis, noting the district would assess both travel conditions and facility safety before announcing a return date.

Then came February 1. Continued power outages and hazardous road conditions pushed the closure through February 4.

On February 4, the district announced faculty would return February 9 and students February 10. Community members began preparing. “We go back Tues 10,” one parent, Marquayla Redmond, posted.

But on February 9, another update: storm-related structural damage, not visible during initial inspections, would delay reopening again.

“Due to storm-related damage that was not visible during our initial facility assessments, all schools in the North Panola School District will be temporarily closed to complete necessary repairs,” the district stated, setting a new return date of February 12.

The cautious decision drew approval from many in the community. “Wise decision,” wrote Darrick Ellis. Others responded with applause and thumbs-up emojis.

Yet behind the announcements and shifting dates, what unfolded inside at least one campus left a school board member deeply unsettled.

“This is still an ongoing crisis,” said Verna Lasha Hunter, a longtime Sardis community leader and North Panola School District trustee. “It’s not like everybody goes back to normal tomorrow.”

During the height of the outage, North Panola High School served as a warming and relief point for residents needing shelter and basic supplies while maintenance crews worked to prevent frozen pipes and further damage.

But when Hunter later walked parts of the campus, she says what she saw raised concerns beyond the storm itself.

“Ceiling tiles falling down, rainwater all over the floor… the plastic they put down was full of water,” she said.

She believes some of the damage predates Winter Storm Fern.

“We’ve been having damages in the past… it doesn’t seem like if they filed a claim on it… maybe it wasn’t carried out.”

The most troubling sight for her was the school library.

“Our library… the ceilings inside our library… that’s mentally disturbing to me.”

For Hunter, the concern is not about inconvenience — it is about whether students are returning to a safe and suitable learning environment.

“They can’t go back into that type environment. Something has to be done before they can go back.”

She says the 13-day closure represents more than missed instruction in a district already facing academic challenges.

“Do you really think our kids were trying to learn? Some of them didn’t even have electricity.”

Students were in cold homes without power, internet, and in some cases, food after losing groceries during the outages.

“North already just barely making it… and now this,” she said.

She also worries about the pressure educators will face when classrooms reopen.

“There’s gonna be a lot of pressure on them trying to get our kids back up.”

The strain extends beyond school walls. Elderly residents remain homebound. Grocery shelves are still thin. Families are still recovering.

Winter Storm Fern did not simply close schools in North Panola. It exposed vulnerabilities — aging facilities, limited infrastructure resilience, and a community with little margin for disruption.

As buses prepare to roll February 12, the larger question lingers:

Is the district ready — not just to reopen — but to recover?

“I try not to dwell on it… but it keeps coming back to my mind, especially dealing with our kids,” Hunter said.

Because as she sees it, the crisis did not end when the ice melted.

“This is still an ongoing crisis.”

About North Panola School District
North Panola School District serves students from the communities of Sardis, Como, and Crenshaw, Mississippi. The district is committed to providing quality education and fostering academic achievement, personal growth, and community involvement for all students. Its main high school, North Panola High School (NPHS), is located on Highway 51 North in Sardis, Mississippi, and serves as a central hub for secondary education and student activities within the district.

About the Author
Germany Kent is a journalist and media professional covering local and national stories. She reports on community issues, public affairs, and breaking news across multiple platforms.