ALPENA — Alpena Public Schools and Alpena Community College cancelled classes due to power outages on Monday and Tuesday, caused by the recent ice storm, with APS calling off through Wednesday.

ALPENA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

ACC plans to open its doors today, now that they have power back, President Don MacMaster said. The power came back on at the campus on Monday night.

On Sunday, MacMaster said he met with the emergency management team and decided to cancel classes for Monday.

Students living in campus housing with no heat or electricity were a huge concern, MacMaster said. They considered options such as busing students to ACC’s Oscoda campus, where they still had power.

However, they found that their best option was to use the drone van, a large van with a generator, to power the housing units. Thanks to the generator, students had heat and were able to charge their devices.

With another storm set to come in today, MacMaster plans to stay in contact with the county and city. As long as their power stays on, MacMaster plans to open up the gymnasium as a warming center for those in need.

“We stand ready to help out,” he said.

MacMaster hopes that by resuming classes tomorrow, students’ lives will be brought back to a sense of normalcy.

In the future, he would like to create a more organized plan if another emergency like this occurs.

ALPENA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

On Monday afternoon, APS Superintendent Dave Rabbideau announced in a statement that APS would be closed through Wednesday. The district had already amassed eight weather-related cancellations during the 2024 through 2025 school year, and that figure will now increase to 11.

“Alpena Public Schools Community, I hope this message finds you safe and well,” Rabbideau said in the statement. “Due to extensive power outages, downed power lines, and fallen trees across our area, Alpena Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Staff do not report on these two days unless contacted by their supervisor. With repair timelines uncertain, yet, expected to extend for several days, we believe this is the best decision to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families. Our thoughts are with everyone in the community as we navigate these challenges.”

Rabbideau encouraged families to check APS social media for updated information and available resources in the community.

“APS is committed to supporting our community during this time,” he said in the statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation and partner with emergency agencies as needed. Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones.

“We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.