Anchorage schools, many Mat-Su schools to be closed Monday and Tuesday

Update, 3:30 p.m. Friday:

The Anchorage School District said all after-school activities “are cancelled until further notice,” and no one will be allowed into district facilities until the structural integrity of each building has been determined.

Activities canceled include both district-sponsored activities and non-district activities held at school district facilities. In addition, “all ASD rental facilities have been closed until further notice.”

We apologize for the frustration this may cause as we know that students and families want to get personal items left in the schools during the evacuations, but we need to determine the structural integrity of each building before we can permit admittance into any ASD facility.
— ASD Information (@ASD_Info) December 1, 2018

Meanwhile, the Mat-Su Borough School District announced the cancellation of all school activities and activities on district premises from Friday evening through Sunday.

Mat-Su Borough schools will also be closed Monday and Tuesday, except for Glacier View, Trapper Creek Elementary, Talkeetna Elementary, Su Valley High School, Willow Elementary and Beryozova.

Update, noon Friday:

By midday Friday, the Anchorage School District decided to close all Anchorage schools and facilities Monday and Tuesday in “light of the earthquake damage experienced today,” according to an email from the district. Officials say they are assessing facility damage.

Original story:

The Anchorage School District advised parents in an alert that all students are safe following a major earthquake that rattled Anchorage on Friday morning.

“When you feel it is safe to pick up your children at your school, please do so,” the district said.

Some schools have been evacuated to other locations, according to the district.

• Ravenwood Elementary has evacuated to Alpenglow Elementary.

• Government Hill Elementary has evacuated to AT&T, 505 E. Bluff Drive.

• Begich Middle School has evacuated to East High.

• Russian Jack Elementary is at East High.

• Bear Valley Elementary has evacuated to Fire Station 10.

• Eagle River High School has evacuated to Gruening Middle School.

Schools not listed here have not evacuated, the district said. The district will continue posting updates to its website and Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District earlier Friday urged parents to pick up children from school once they felt it was safe to do so. “If you can’t get there, know they are safe and being cared for by teachers and staff,” the district said.

Colony Middle School near Palmer is being assessed for any structural damage. Students there were evacuated, and parents were coming to pick them up.

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