Santa Rosa schools after Isaias: Avalon Middle set to open Oct. 19; others lack dates

Schools in Santa Rosa County, Florida, are reopening on different timelines after Hurricane Isaias. Avalon Middle School is scheduled to open Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, while Hobbs Middle School and Milton High School have not posted dates. The district has not published a single reopening date in the sources reviewed for this guide.

Information as of Oct. 18, 2026, from school pages and a county update. Dates can change.

Which Santa Rosa County schools have announced a reopening date?

Two of the four schools reviewed have posted a date. The table shows what each school’s own page says.

School	Location	What its page says	Date given
Avalon Middle School	Pace	Building took damage; repairs are under way. School is “scheduled to be open Monday, October 19th.”	Oct. 19
Thomas L. Sims Middle School	Pace	“We will be back in session on Monday, October 20.”	Oct. 20 (see note)
Hobbs Middle School	Milton	Main building still without power; flooding in the multipurpose room (MPR).	None
Milton High School	Milton	Meal service resumes “upon school reopening.”	None

Oct. 20, 2026, is a Tuesday, not a Monday. Sims Middle School’s page does not explain the mismatch, so families should confirm the date with the school.

Is Avalon Middle School opening on Monday, Oct. 19?

Avalon Middle School in Pace is scheduled to open Monday, Oct. 19, according to Principal Ryan Stokes on the school’s page. He wrote that families will be notified by local news sources or district calls if that changes.

Stokes asked families near the campus to keep children off the grounds and away from the building while crews work and debris remains. The school’s phone number is 850-983-5540.

What is the condition of Hobbs Middle School?

Hobbs Middle School in Milton had no power in its main building, according to its page. The MPR flooded extensively, and a rehabilitation crew is restoring it. The administrative and gold wings had standing water. The page gives no reopening date and is undated.

Will school buses run on Monday?

Regular bus routes are to be operational on Monday, according to Santa Rosa County District Schools as quoted in Isaias Update #16. The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce posted the update, which is dated Saturday, Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. The available text of the district’s statement ends mid-sentence at “If any bus stop is…”, so any further bus-stop instructions are not included here.

Santa Rosa County is also coordinating with the district to clear debris from school bus stops. Residents are asked to keep cleared stops free of debris, and signs will mark designated stops. The full release is county news flash 2228.

What help is available for displaced families?

Hobbs Middle School says displaced families may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, including free school meals and transportation assistance. The school asks families to complete a Family Assistance Survey.

Milton High School asks displaced families to notify the school and complete a residency form. Families whose income changed because of the storm can apply or reapply for free or reduced-price meals through MySchoolApps.

Hobbs also asks residents to report property damage at srcpa.gov/search. The school says the reports help Santa Rosa County document damage and seek Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance, even for insured properties.

What happens to grades after the quarter change?

Avalon Middle School’s principal wrote that the storm came at the change in school quarters and that the issue “will be worked out at a later time.” He told families not to worry about grades and said teacher messages about work are not mandatory. The other schools’ pages reviewed do not address grades.

Is Milton High School’s can drive still on?

Milton High School’s Milton vs. Pace can drive has a deadline of Thursday, Oct. 29, according to the school’s page. Neighborhood can pickups run Tuesday, Oct. 20, through Friday, Oct. 23, with streets listed by day on the school’s page. The school says no one struggling is expected to give.