Closing Atlanta schools in advance of snowy and icy weather was “a pretty obvious decision” based on the forecast, said Associate Superintendent Steve Smith.
Atlanta Public Schools learned its lesson after snowfall two weeks ago gridlocked roads, trapped students in school buses and turned schools into overnight shelters, he said.
APS was the first city school system to announce closures on Tuesday and Wednesday, and neighboring districts called off school shortly afterward.
“Everyone in our state is much more highly sensitized to weather-related issues” after the Jan. 28 snowfall, Smith said. “Based on what we see in the models, it was very apparent we will have inclement weather.”
When snow fell in the middle of the school day, students and parents rushed to get home, but they were already too late. The roads had come to a standstill.
“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.
A mixture of snow, ice, wind chill and freezing temperatures could extend the school closures through Thursday, but the city school system will evaluate whether to hold class on Thursday when the extent of the danger becomes more clear, he said.
Cobb County schools took seriously emergency warnings and Gov. Nathan Deal’s request to stay off the roads, said spokesman Jay Dillon.
“We don’t want to take any chances because, right now, it’s not real clear what driving conditions will be like on Tuesday,” Dillon said.
Because Atlanta Public Schools has already missed the state’s maximum of four class days because of weather, it will probably have to make up the two or more days that students will miss this week.
Smith said the decision on makeup days will be made by Superintendent Erroll Davis in the coming days.
Besides public school systems, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents meeting scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday has been cancelled due to expected inclement weather.
Visit Channel 2 Action News for a full list of Atlanta school and business closings.
School closings:
Atlanta: Tuesday and Wednesday
Clayton County: Tuesday and Wednesday
Cobb County: Tuesday and Wednesday (students are also out Thursday through Feb. 18 during staff furlough days and President’s Day)
Decatur: Tuesday
DeKalb County: Tuesday
Douglas County: Tuesday
Forsyth County: Tuesday
Fulton County: Tuesday and Wednesday
Gwinnett County: Tuesday
Marietta: Tuesday
Paulding County: Tuesday
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