Tangier School damaged in lightning strike

TANGIER ISLAND, Va. — Accomack County Public Schools announced that classes for students at Tangier Combined School  continued on Thursday, May 28, at an alternative location after the school lost power due to a lightning strike Wednesday night.

Officials said an electrical pole was struck during the storm, causing the outage. All students had already left campus before the incident occurred, and staff members inside the building were reported safe and accounted for.

Tangier Combined School is Virginia’s only public K-12 combined school.

To avoid adding extra make-up days to the school calendar, the community quickly came together to relocate classes. Students attended lessons Thursday in the Sunday School building — the same temporary arrangement used earlier this winter when a deep freeze caused pipes beneath the school to freeze.

Lunches were delivered to students by Lorraine’s Seafood Restaurant and paid for by the Parent-Teachers Association.

Two employees of A&N Electric Cooperative live on the island, and repairs continued throughout Thursday.

Photo courtesy Gordon Campbell