Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Students at Riverside High School and nine other schools in the area were supposed to head back to class Wednesday, but devastating flooding across eastern Kanawha County pushed the start of the school year back.
While classrooms remained empty, school employees were still showing up to help families recover.
At Riverside High School, staff spent Wednesday distributing three days’ worth of meals to families. Principal Stephen Loftis said the food had already been prepared for students before the district announced the delayed start.
“There are many children that the best meal that they have comes from Kanawha County Schools,” Loftis said. “We want to get that food out to their hands.”
Loftis said the effort is one way Riverside can give back to a community that has long supported the school.
“We’re just doing our little part of helping our community,” he said.
The need extends beyond meals. At Sharon Dawes Elementary School, which serves students throughout the Cabin Creek area, staff have been helping families whose homes and belongings were damaged or destroyed by flooding.
Principal Hilary Summerhill said some families have lost everything.
“Anywhere from the end of Chelyan all the way up the creek is our students, and this was one of the areas that impacted us,” Summerhill said. “Some families have lost everything, their homes.”
School employees have gone door-to-door checking on students and delivering supplies, including food, clothing, shoes, backpacks and cleaning products.
Sharon Dawes has about 130 students, and Summerhill estimates at least 10 families connected to the school were affected by the flooding.
“Anything we can do to help them not worry about their families, not worry about the funds to get these things that they needed,” Summerhill said. “Some of them lost their brand-new clothing and backpacks and stuff that they had just bought.”
Summerhill said delaying the start of school has also given families more time to focus on cleanup and recovery.
“It’s really sad because some of our students were really excited to return to school,” she said. “But for a lot of families, it’s been such a relief to return a few days later, so they have time to clean up and they have time to get things back together for their kids.”
Kanawha County Schools announced that students will begin classes Monday, Aug. 24.
The affected schools are Belle Elementary, Cedar Grove Elementary, Chesapeake Elementary, Malden Elementary, Mary Ingles Elementary, Midland Trail Elementary, Pratt Elementary, Sharon Dawes Elementary, DuPont Middle School and Riverside High School.
Riverside’s band and football programs are also collecting cleaning supplies, with plans for staff and coaches to take those items directly into affected communities.
Families in need of assistance are encouraged to contact schools in the area for available resources.
FULL STORY: wchstv.com/news/local/kanawha-county-schools-step-up-for-families-after-flooding-delays-first-day
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Students at Riverside High School and nine other schools in the area were supposed to head back to class Wednesday, but devastating flooding across eastern Kanawha County pushed the start of the school year back.
While classrooms remained empty, school employees were still showing up to help families recover.
At Riverside High School, staff spent Wednesday distributing three days’ worth of meals to families. Principal Stephen Loftis said the food had already been prepared for students before the district announced the delayed start.
“There are many children that the best meal that they have comes from Kanawha County Schools,” Loftis said. “We want to get that food out to their hands.”
Loftis said the effort is one way Riverside can give back to a community that has long supported the school.
“We’re just doing our little part of helping our community,” he said.
The need extends beyond meals. At Sharon Dawes Elementary School, which serves students throughout the Cabin Creek area, staff have been helping families whose homes and belongings were damaged or destroyed by flooding.
Principal Hilary Summerhill said some families have lost everything.
“Anywhere from the end of Chelyan all the way up the creek is our students, and this was one of the areas that impacted us,” Summerhill said. “Some families have lost everything, their homes.”
School employees have gone door-to-door checking on students and delivering supplies, including food, clothing, shoes, backpacks and cleaning products.
Sharon Dawes has about 130 students, and Summerhill estimates at least 10 families connected to the school were affected by the flooding.
“Anything we can do to help them not worry about their families, not worry about the funds to get these things that they needed,” Summerhill said. “Some of them lost their brand-new clothing and backpacks and stuff that they had just bought.”
Summerhill said delaying the start of school has also given families more time to focus on cleanup and recovery.
“It’s really sad because some of our students were really excited to return to school,” she said. “But for a lot of families, it’s been such a relief to return a few days later, so they have time to clean up and they have time to get things back together for their kids.”
Kanawha County Schools announced that students will begin classes Monday, Aug. 24.
The affected schools are Belle Elementary, Cedar Grove Elementary, Chesapeake Elementary, Malden Elementary, Mary Ingles Elementary, Midland Trail Elementary, Pratt Elementary, Sharon Dawes Elementary, DuPont Middle School and Riverside High School.
Riverside’s band and football programs are also collecting cleaning supplies, with plans for staff and coaches to take those items directly into affected communities.
Families in need of assistance are encouraged to contact schools in the area for available resources.
FULL STORY: wchstv.com/news/local/kanawha-county-schools-step-up-for-families-after-flooding-delays-first-day
_________________________________________
Follow WCHS on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/eyewitnessnewscharleston
Twitter: twitter.com/wchs8fox11
Instagram: instagram.com/wchs8fox11
For the latest local and national news, visit our website: wchstv.com
Sign up for our newsletter: wchstv.com/sign-up
