Schools

Will Extreme Cold Give Gwinnett Students Another Day Off

Originally posted by Steve Burns.

The extreme weather conditions in Gwinnett County could affect the planned resumption of classes Tuesday (Jan. 7) for Gwinnett County Public Schools.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisorythat warns of severe conditions Monday and into Tuesday.

The statement warns of:

  • rain changing to snow with some brief sleet;
  • slick roadways due to snow accumulations and black ice;
  • frostbite and hypothermia are possible.
As for whether Gwinnett County schools will reopen on schedule for students Tuesday, that decision "as a rule" will be made before 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to the system website. (Monday, Jan. 6, has been designated as a teacher work day.)

The school system cancellation policy (posted under Safety and Security on the website) for weather reads in part:

GCPS schools and facilities may close in the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies which present threats to the safety of students, staff, or school property.

The superintendent makes the decision about school closing based on a cross-divisional and cross-agency effort, with information from public safety officials, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Gwinnett County officials, and the state Department of Transportation. In addition, when inclement weather is an issue, members of the GCPS Facilities and Operations team head out as early as 3:30 or 4 a.m. to drive roads around the county and assess road conditions. The school system’s Transportation staff ensures that buses are operable. (Extreme cold can cause operational problems for diesel buses.) Facilities are checked in the early hours, and GCPS works with power providers, as needed. Local school principals gather information for the leadership team about specific school conditions.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here