Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday in Duval, Flagler and Glynn counties, authorities announced Wednesday.
Each county's school district makes that decision individually as conditions warrant.
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Administrators said the best thing for parents to do right now is just watch the forecast and keep an eye on their district's website and social media accounts. They said they will be notifying parents and students if they cancel school.
Duval County
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced at the city's emergency briefing that Duval County schools will be closed Thursday and Friday.
Duval County Public Schools has also canceled all after-school activities Wednesday and extended day care and after-school activities Thursday and Friday.
DCPS will keep parents, guardians and staff updated through its automated communication system by phone and email; the district's Twitter and Facebook sites (@DuvalSchools); and the school district's website www.duvalschools.org. DCPS will also provide local media with periodic updates.
Private school closures:
- The Bolles School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Providence School has canceled classes Thursday and Friday
- Episcopal School of Jacksonville will be closed Thursday and Friday; all after-school activities are canceled after 4 p.m. Wednesday
- Blue Pearl Academy in Murray Hill will be closed at 2 p.m. Wednesday
- Riverside Presbyterian Day School will be closed Thursday and Friday, including extended day programs
- America's Little Leaders on Gandy Street will be closed Thursday and Friday
- On Our Way Learning Center will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Jacksonville Country Day School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Cornerstone Christian School is canceling classes, after-school activities and extended care on Thursday and Friday
- Salvation Army's Child Development Center at 318 N. Ocean St. will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Jericho School for Children with Autism will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Beaches Episcopal Day School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Lighthouse Christian School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Christ Church Academy on Old St. Augustine Road will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Impact Learning Center will be closed Thursday and Friday
- First Baptist Academy will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Eagle's View Academy on Ramona Boulevard West will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Bright Stars Early Learning Center will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Jacksonville School for Autism will be closed Thursday and Friday
St. Johns County
All public schools will be closed Thursday and Friday due to Hurricane Matthew. Parents were notified late Wednesday by text. After-school activities were also canceled Wednesday afternoon through the weekend.
The alert will be sent via the district's mass communication system and posted on www.stjohns.k12.fl.us.
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday due to Hurricane Matthew.
Flagler County
After consulting with the National Weather Service and Flagler County Emergency Managers, Flagler County Public Schools Superintendent Jacob Oliva has canceled all after-school events Wednesday. Extended-day programs will continue.
Classes and school activities for Thursday and Friday have been canceled because of Hurricane Matthew.
Flagler Schools is preparing to have a number of schools activated as emergency shelters as this very dangerous storm systems approaches the Flagler County coast.
Additional information is available at www.flagleremergency.com.
Nassau County
All public schools and district offices in Nassau County will be closed Thursday and Friday due to the potential for severe weather associated with Hurricane Matthew.
All school related activities for Thursday and Friday are also canceled.
Only personnel involved with emergency preparedness and response are to report for duty.
More information will be released on the district website.
Clay County
Classes and extracurricular activities are canceled Thursday and Friday in Clay County public schools to prepare shelters for evacuees moving west from the coast.
All schools and district offices will be closed Thursday and Friday. At this time, the following shelters will be open beginning Thursday evening:
- Orange Park High School (pet-friendly)
- Lake Asbury Junior High School (equipped for special needs residents)
- Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School
Please register at alert.claycountygov.com for updates from our partners at Clay County Emergency Management.
Bradford County
Due to Hurricane Matthew and the mandatory evacuations for residents in the counties to the east, all schools in Bradford County will be closed Thursday and Friday.
The county will be experiencing rain & heavy traffic and do not need to have our buses and students on the roads Thursday.
Float preparations at the fairgrounds for Bradford High School will end at 6 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. Wednesday (Dinner will still be provided).
Starke Elementary School will be opening as a shelter site at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The BHS football game for this week has been canceled.
For more information, visit the Bradford County schools website.
Other Northeast Florida counties
Schools in Putnam County, Florida, and Camden, Glynn and Ware counties, in Georgia, will be closed Thursday and Friday due to Hurricane Matthew.
Alachua, Baker Columbia and Union County schools in Florida and Charlton County, Georgia, will be closed Friday only.
For more information, visit your child's school district website:
Private schools closing:
- St. Johns Christian School in Bostwick will be closed Thursday
- Starke Christian School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Bradford Christian Academy in Starke will be closed Thursday and Friday
- St. Johns Country Day School will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Peniel Baptist Acadmey in Palatka will be closed Thursday and Friday
- Sonshine Christian Academy in Callahan will be closed Thursday and Friday
Catholic schools
All Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Augustine will be closed Friday because of Hurricane Matthew. All schools but Epiphany in Columbia County, Queen of Peace in Alachua County and Gainesville St. Patrick will be closed Thursday, too.
This includes Bishop Kenny High School, Bishop Snyder High School, St. Joseph Academy and Gainesville St. Francis High School. St. Francis will not be closed Thursday.
Southeast Georgia counties
With Hurricane Matthew expected to impact Glynn County beginning Friday morning, all Glynn County public schools will be closed Thursday and Friday, district officials announced Wednesday.
All schools will remain open on Wednesday however all afterschool programs, including instructional programs, Boys and Girls Club programs at middle school sites, and band and athletic programs will be canceled Wednesday afternoon. School buses will run according to their regular schedules on Wednesday.
Glynn County School System employees should not report to work on Thursday or Friday.
If conditions allow, Glynn County public schools will resume on Monday.
Camden County schools will be closed Thursday and Friday.
Ware County schools will have early release on Thursday and will be closed Friday.
Brantley County schools will be closed Friday only.
School district websites:
Private school closings:
- King of Peace Episcopal Day School in Kingsland, Ga., will be closed Thursday and Friday