How schools make decision to close, delay or keep schools open during winter weather

Name: How schools make decision to close, delay or keep schools open during winter weather
Uploaded: 2020-02-20T21:57:31.000Z
Duration: 2 min
Description: WRAL's Ken Smith was at Athens Drive High School, usually a busy place during the afternoon but closed Thursday due to the winter weather. He tells us how schools decide to open or close schools and how it impacts parents and the children.

WRAL's Ken Smith was at Athens Drive High School, usually a busy place during the afternoon but closed Thursday due to the winter weather. He tells us how schools decide to open or close schools and how it impacts parents and the children.

Posted 2/20/2020, 9:57:31 PM

RAIN/SNOW MIX.

BACK TO YOU.

YOU.

>>> SOME ARE CHOSING TO DELAY

OR CLOSE.

HOW DO SCHOOL SYSTEMS MAKE THAT

DECISION WHEN A STORM LIKE THIS

IS APPROACHING?

WE SEND OUR KEN SMITH TO JOIN.

HE JOINS US LIVE WITH SOME

ANSWERS.

KEN?

>> YOU KNOW, HE IS AT ATHENS

DRIVE HIGH SCHOOL USUALLY THIS

TIME OF DAY, IT IS BUSTLING

WITH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS BUT

NOT TODAY.

THEY GOT OUT EARLY.

AS YOU CAN SEE THE SNOW IS

FALLING ON AN EMPTY PARKING

LOT.

YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS LIKE ALL

SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND HERE

HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE WHETHER

TO CANCEL OR DELAY SCHOOL AMONG

THE DOZENS OF WADE COUNTY

SCHOOLS RELEASED THREE HOURS

EARLY TODAY.

THIS SCENE OF SCHOOL BUSES

TRANSPORTING STUDENTS AND

PARENTS PICKING UP CHILDREN

PLAY OUT AT OTHER SCHOOL

SYSTEMS AROUND THE TRIANGLE

AREA.

WE TALKED TO A MOTHER OF TWO

WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A

TEACHER A COUPLE OF DAYS A

WEEK.

WHILE SHE UNDERSTANDS EARLY

RELEASE GETS EVERYONE HOME

SAFELY AHEAD OF A STORM, IT IS

QUITE A JUGGLING ACT SOMETIMES

FOR HER FAMILY.

>> YOU HAVE TO FIGURE WHAT TO

DO WITH MY STUDENTS.

MY HUSBAND HAS SOME

FLEXIBILITY, SO, YOU KNOW, WE

HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING ABLE

TO WORK FROM HOME SOMETIMES SO

THAT MAKES A LITTLE EASIER.

IT IS A CHALLENGE.

THAT MEANS GETTING MORE THAN

160,000 STUDENTS HOME SAFELY.

HALF OF THEM RIDE THE BUS.

NOW A DECISION WILL BE HAVING

TO BE MADE TOMORROW.

BACK HERE AT ATHENS DRY, YOU

CAN SEE THE SNOW COMING DOWN AT

A STEADY CLIP.

THE GLOBE IS JUST ACCUMULATING

RIGHT ON TOP OF THE GLOBE.

YOU LOOK AT THE GROUND RIGHT

NOW, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT

OF IT ON THE GROUND.

NOTHING ON THE SIDEWALKS OR

HERE.

WE HAD A CHANCE HE TELLS ME.

IT IS ALL ABOUT SAFETY.

THEY HAD A DECISION TO MAKE AS

WELL, AND THEY DID DECIDE TO

ERR ON THE SIDE OF THE CAUTION

AND CALL OFF SCHOOL TODAY.

CATHRYN?