Students stay home as schools prepare for harsh storm

Schools across the Atlanta area were closed Tuesday and Wednesday as north Georgia braced for a severe storm predicted to bring snow and ice.

Education leaders make the decision Monday afternoon to shut down school in anticipation of damaging weather that could create dangerous road conditions.

The harsh winter weather could continue into Thursday, but school systems hadn’t yet called off classes for that day as they wait and see how the storm develops.

While Tuesday brought rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow were forecast to arrive early Wednesday morning.

Atlanta Associate Superintendent Steve Smith said Monday that the city school system had learned its lesson after snowfall two weeks ago gridlocked roads, trapped students in school buses and turned schools into overnight shelters.

“We want to make sure that we don’t have students in situations that jeopardize their safety, be it overnight on a bus or anywhere with parents traveling to get to their students,” Smith said.

Cobb County schools took seriously emergency warnings and Gov. Nathan Deal’s request to stay off the roads, said spokesman Jay Dillon.