<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Ms5Xo_0i9vDYIv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Ms5Xo_0i9vDYIv00" width="640" height="360" ><figcaption>The Pinellas County school district will close some schools early Monday as it prepares for an expected hurricane. [&nbsp;JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK | Times&nbsp;]</figcaption></figure><p>LARGO — School districts across the Tampa Bay area are taking precautionary steps as Tropical Storm Ian threatens to impact the region in the coming days.</p><h2>Pinellas County</h2><p>Three Pinellas County schools will close early Monday as the school district prepares special needs shelters in advance of Tropical Storm Ian.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Palm Harbor University High, Dunedin Highland Middle and John Hopkins Middle schools will release students at 12:30 p.m. to make way for the activity. The rest of the district will remain open all day Monday, but will cancel after-school activities.</p><p>On Tuesday and Wednesday, all Pinellas schools will be closed, with all extracurricular activities also canceled. Students are tentatively scheduled to return on Thursday.</p><p>The Pinellas district will provide updated information about its storm plans through several outlets, including local media and social media sites. It also will put the latest details on its website, www.pcsb.org/weather, and will have a recorded emergency phone line at (727) 588-6424.</p><h2>Hillsborough County</h2><p>The Hillsborough County district announced that 49 of its sites had been called into service as shelters for the storm. As a result, it canceled all classes and activities Monday through Thursday.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Officials explained on Facebook that even if the storm causes minimal disruption, the schools play a critical role in emergency planning, and it takes time to have the shelters ready for evacuees.</p><p>“There may be a need to make up missed instructional hours in order to meet minimum state requirements, but we will work with the Florida Department of Education to determine how many hours might be necessary,” the district reminded parents and students.</p><p>The district planned to continue providing updates through several outlets, including social media and its website www.hillsboroughschools.org.</p><h2>Pasco County</h2><p>Pasco County schools and district offices will remain open on Monday. They will close on Tuesday to begin readying shelters, and remain shut through at least Wednesday.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>All before- and after-school events, including the PLACE child care program, will also close those days.</p><p>In a memo to staff, the district reminded employees who are part of its comprehensive emergency plan that they may be called upon to work throughout the storm.</p><p>The district planned to update families and employees through phone calls, social media and its website, www.pasco.k12.fl.us.</p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

LARGO — School districts across the Tampa Bay area are taking precautionary steps as Tropical Storm Ian threatens to impact the region in the coming days. Three Pinellas County schools will close early Monday as the school district prepares special needs shelters in advance of Tropical Storm Ian. Palm...