(CNN) Florida Panhandle officials are trying to figure out how to resume classes after Hurricane Michael damaged or destroyed many schools last week.

Schools in at least eight counties -- Washington, Liberty, Jackson, Gulf, Gadsden, Franklin, Calhoun and Bay -- will remain closed until further notice, the office of Gov. Rick Scott said Monday in a news release.

The challenge is especially daunting in Bay County.

"I would say every single school in Bay County has some type of damage, some more extensive than others," said Steve Moss, vice chairman of Bay District School Board. "Some it'll probably take weeks or months to get online. Some it will take years.

"The only thing left of some of our schools ... is the foundation."

Moss said he and his colleagues are working to come up with a plan to get thousands of students back in the classroom as soon as possible.

"We basically have 26,000 students here in Bay County," he said. "They still need educational services. They still need to learn."

High school seniors have been told they will be able to graduate, Moss said. Younger students won't be held back from the next grade.

"Now, to be able to do that, they have to been in a classroom setting," according to state law, Moss said, with the wreckage of Jinks Middle School's gymnasium in Panama City, Florida, behind him.

It was just renovated last month, with a new floor and lighting, Moss said. But now the gym's interior is completely exposed to the elements and the floor is littered with debris.

Bay County's school officials are holding a meeting Monday morning to discuss how to get students back in classrooms, Moss said.

Reopening schools is more 'critical' than some think

Craig Fugate, a former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, stressed the importance of getting schools up and running after a storm.

"Getting schools open ... is far more critical than most people realize," he said in an interview with CNN last year

When kids can't go to school, some parents have to stay home and can't work. And for some low-income families, school is where kids get nutritious meals.

Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Florida Gov. Rick Scott tour a Lynn Haven, Florida, neighborhood that was affected by Hurricane Michael. Hide Caption 1 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Lisa Patrick is overcome with emotion as she visits the remains of her home in Mexico Beach, Florida, on Monday, October 15. Hide Caption 2 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction The President and first lady hand out bottles of water to people in Lynn Haven on October 15. Hide Caption 3 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction The Trumps tour damage in Lynn Haven. Hide Caption 4 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction President Trump flies over the devastation in Mexico Beach. Hide Caption 5 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Mexico Beach residents make their way across a washed-out road on Friday, October 12. Hide Caption 6 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction An aerial view shows the devastation in Mexico Beach on October 12. The small beach resort saw the brunt of Michael, authorities say. Hide Caption 7 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Dough Shelby looks out at the destruction from his house in Mexico Beach on October 12. Hide Caption 8 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Little remains of a burned home destroyed by the hurricane in Mexico Beach on October 12. Hide Caption 9 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Benny Hobson sits in his recliner on Thursday, October 11, after losing the front wall of his house in Panama City, Florida. Hide Caption 10 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Storm-damaged boats are piled up in Panama City on October 11. Hide Caption 11 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Elizabeth Hanson, right, and her daughter Emaly hug their neighbor Cindy Clark on October 11. The hurricane heavily damaged their homes in Mexico Beach. Hide Caption 12 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Collector cars are covered in debris in Panama City on October 11. Hide Caption 13 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Tom Bailey walks his bike past a home that was carried across a road and slammed up against a condo complex in Mexico Beach. Hide Caption 14 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Joyce Fox stands in front of her heavily damaged home in Panama City on October 11. Hide Caption 15 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A boat sits amid debris in Mexico Beach on October 11. Hide Caption 16 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Kylie Strampe holds her 4-month-old daughter, Lola, while surveying the damage in Callaway, Florida, on October 11. Hide Caption 17 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Trees snapped by Michael's winds are seen in Mexico Beach on October 11. Hide Caption 18 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Amanda Logsdon faces a heavy cleanup task at her Panama City house on October 11. Hide Caption 19 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Rescue personnel search Mexico Beach. Hide Caption 20 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A man walks through a damaged store in Springfield, Florida. Hide Caption 21 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction An aerial photo shows a destroyed boat in Mexico Beach on October 11. Hide Caption 22 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A tree sits on top of a Panama City mobile home. Almost all the residents of the mobile-home park rode out the storm. All homes were damaged except one. Hide Caption 23 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Kathy Coy stands among what is left of her home in Panama City. She said she was in the home when it was blown apart and is thankful to be alive. Hide Caption 24 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction The view from a Panama City hotel room that lost a wall in the storm. Hide Caption 25 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Firefighter Austin Schlarb performs a door-to-door search in Mexico Beach on October 11. Hide Caption 26 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Damaged buildings are seen in Panama City on October 11. Hide Caption 27 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Debris is scattered in Mexico Beach early on October 11. Hide Caption 28 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Wreckage is piled up in Mexico Beach, near where Michael made landfall. Hide Caption 29 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Debris burns in Mexico Beach on October 11. Hide Caption 30 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Haley Nelson inspects damage at her family properties in the Panama City area on Wednesday, October 10. Hide Caption 31 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Cars are tossed among the debris in Mexico Beach. Hide Caption 32 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Kaylee O'Brian cries inside her Panama City home after several trees fell on it on October 10. Hide Caption 33 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Floodwaters overwhelm vehicles in Panama City on Wednesday, October 10. Hide Caption 34 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A storm chaser climbs into his vehicle to retrieve equipment after a hotel canopy collapsed in Panama City Beach on October 10. Hide Caption 35 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A helicopter circles a Panama City neighborhood in the storm's wake on October 10. Hide Caption 36 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A woman and her children wait near a destroyed gas station in Panama City on October 10. Hide Caption 37 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A McDonald's sign is mangled in Panama City on October 10. Hide Caption 38 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Boats are left damaged in a Panama City marina on October 10. Hide Caption 39 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction People comfort each other outside an apartment building in Panama City. Hide Caption 40 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction People make their way through a building's wreckage in Panama City on October 10. Hide Caption 41 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction The powerful hurricane left houses battered in Panama City Beach. Hide Caption 42 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Phlomena Telker stands on the remains of her covered porch in Panama City. Hide Caption 43 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Boats are damaged at the Port St. Joe Marina in the Florida Panhandle. Hide Caption 44 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Lenora Adams evacuates a motel with her dog as the hurricane comes ashore in Panacea, Florida, on October 10. Hide Caption 45 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Rick Tesk, left, helps a business owner rescue his dogs from a damaged business in Panama City. Hide Caption 46 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Wrecked boats sit near a pier in Panama City. Hide Caption 47 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A resident of St. Marks, Florida, pulls a cooler out of the floodwaters near his home. Hide Caption 48 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Pine trees litter a yard in Port St. Joe. Hide Caption 49 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Streets begin to flood as high tide approaches in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 10. Hide Caption 50 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Mike Lindsey stands in his Panama City antique shop after it was damaged by Hurricane Michael on October 10. Hide Caption 51 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Trees lie on top of a home in Panama City. Hide Caption 52 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Bo Lynn's Market is flooded in St. Marks on October 10. Hide Caption 53 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A truck drives along a road in Alligator Point, Florida, that had been washed out by the storm on October 10. Hide Caption 54 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Waves hit a house in Alligator Point on October 10. Hide Caption 55 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction The eye of the storm, as seen from the International Space Station on October 10. Hide Caption 56 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A woman checks on her vehicle after a hotel canopy collapsed in Panama City Beach. Hide Caption 57 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Mitchell Pope tries to salvage what he can from his mobile home in St. Marks. Hide Caption 58 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction This boat ran aground at Florida's Quietwater Beach. Hide Caption 59 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Jayden Morgan, 11, evacuates his home as water starts to flood his neighborhood in St. Marks. Hide Caption 60 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction A person takes pictures of the surf and fishing pier on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 61 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Emily Hindle lies on the floor at an evacuation shelter set up at a Panama City Beach high school on October 10. Hide Caption 62 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Kathy Eaton takes what she can from her Panama City Beach home as she tries to get out of the way of the storm on October 10. Hide Caption 63 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Justin Davis, left, and Brock Mclean board up a business in Destin, Florida, on Tuesday, October 9. Hide Caption 64 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Krystal Day, left, leads a sandbag assembly line at the Old Port Cove restaurant in Ozello, Florida, on October 9. Hide Caption 65 of 66 Photos: In pictures: Hurricane Michael's trail of destruction Workers scramble to store boats at Shields Marina in St. Marks. Hide Caption 66 of 66

For some students, school is "their safe place," Moss said. Some are living in shelters now. Some have discovered their homes were destroyed.

And now the only other place they could turn to is gone, Moss said. "Psychologically, we're really working on how best to address this with our students."

Jinks Middle School Principal Britt Smith choked up when he looked at images of the damaged gym last week. But he was also concerned about the emotional and psychological impact the disaster could have on the students.

"We have contractors that will come in and rebuild the homes," Smith said. "We (have to) rebuild the kids and their emotional well-being."

Different schools could share one campus

Bay School District officials are considering split sessions for high school students on campuses that escaped relatively unscathed. One high school would hold classes in the morning, and another in the afternoon.

"We're kind of in uncharted territory," Moss said.

He said most of the district's buses remain undamaged, so they could be used to get students from one school to another. But logistically, that's a "big job."

Fugate, who is also a former director of Florida's Emergency Management Division, told CNN last year that officials took a similar tactic after Hurricane Charley in 2004.

"You can use other schools," he said. "Getting schools back to normal wasn't the mission. Getting kids back in schools was."

Moss also recognized Hurricane Michael's heavy financial burden.

"We did have somewhat of a contingency, a reserve fund to cover this, but not on this level," he said. "I don't think there's any district probably in the state of Florida that would have this type of reserve to plan for something like this."