Hurricane Helene archives

At the end of September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought “three days of extreme, unrelenting precipitation” to the mountains of North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State Climate Office at N.C. State University. “It was close to a worst-case scenario for western North Carolina as seemingly limitless tropical moisture, enhanced by interactions with the high terrain, yielded some of the highest rainfall totals — followed by some of the highest river levels, and the most severe flooding — ever observed across the region.”

After conducting a needs assessment to identify counties hit hardest, EdNC has provided ongoing coverage of the region and strategic support to the small, rural counties of Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, and Watauga, including using the content for stories to also provide strategic support, totaling more than $4,289,880 in grants requests.

News

Hurricane Helene

Senate passes budget with multiple education items, including teacher raises

Perspective | Self-care as the foundation: Sustaining educators & communities across WNC

State Board of Community Colleges discusses Hurricane Helene Emergency Scholarship grants

Perspective | Six months after Helene, the road to recovery runs through our community colleges

Perspective | How one community college and one K-8 school are rising above in the wake of Hurricane Helene

In surprise announcement, NCASA honors superintendents for exemplary leadership in Hurricane Helene

Gov. Stein focuses on Hurricane Helene recovery, education in State of State address

‘No one has recovered’: Gov. Stein visits western NC, an update on charter schools, and advocates visit the legislature

Months after Helene, charter leaders grapple with strained budgets, long-term effects

On the leadership of districts and community colleges

The ongoing role of philanthropy in western North Carolina

Calls for urgency on bipartisan bills in Congress to reauthorize funding for the Secure Rural Schools Act