Hilliard students will start the 2026-27 school year Aug. 19 as scheduled, with no delay despite the Aug. 11 derecho that downed trees, knocked out power to more than 200,000 central Ohio customers and forced neighboring Upper Arlington to push back its own first day.

The district's back-to-school calendar shows no schedule change, and back-to-school events are proceeding on time. Meet-the-teacher sessions at elementary schools run Monday, Aug. 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The district's annual Safety Training Day with Hilliard police and Norwich Township Fire Department takes place the same day at Hilliard Darby High School, with emergency personnel staging at Hoffman Trails Elementary. Heritage Middle School will be closed to the public during the exercises.

The district has not issued a formal post-storm statement about building readiness, but its unchanged calendar and proceeding events signal no disruption.

At Memorial Middle School, doors open at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday and the tardy bell rings at 7:55 a.m. Student iPads will be distributed during the first three days.

The storm, which the National Weather Service classified as a derecho, produced an 82 mph wind gust in Columbus and one death statewide. In Hilliard, trees fell across roads and properties throughout the community. As we reported Aug. 14, the NWS confirmed derecho-level winds hit the area.

Hilliard Public Service Director Kyle Hoyng told Fox 28/ABC 6 on Aug. 12 that crews prioritized clearing arterial roads first before moving into residential neighborhoods. "The priority was definitely trying to open roads up and make sure vehicles were able to kind of get through through the different arterials," Hoyng said.

By Aug. 14 city crews had finished the Blue Zone neighborhoods, including Darby Glen, Beacon, Scioto Farms, Brookfield Village and Hyde Park, and moved into the Purple Zone near Dublin Road, according to the city's storm-response page. Crews were set to resume Monday morning.

Upper Arlington delayed its start through Monday, Aug. 17, because of storm damage and power outages. A Columbus Navigator survey of 21 central Ohio districts published around Aug. 13 found Hilliard among those showing no schedule change.

Davidson High School did reschedule one event: its Freshman Parent Meeting, originally set for Aug. 11, moved to Aug. 26, as we reported that day.

The next school board meeting is a work session Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Office.