While we hope inclement weather will pass us by this winter, it’s important to prepare for conditions and their impact on the school day. Here’s how the school system handles school cancellations:
- 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 information from public safety officials, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, 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 around the county and assess road conditions. The school system’s Transportation staff also 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.
- It’s more likely for school to be cancelled in the early morning— due to hazardous road conditions that formed overnight— than for school to let out early because bad weather is moving in. As a rule, the decision to cancel school is made before 6 a.m. The school system immediately notifies all major radio and television stations in the Atlanta area. In addition, the information is announced on GCPS TV and posted on the system’s website, Twitter, and GCPS’ Facebook page.
- Should severe weather move into the area during the day, plans to cancel classes will be announced on local radio and TV stations before school is dismissed, communicated on GCPS TV, and posted to the website, Twitter, and Facebook.
Making up missed school days
The school system’s calendar includes three make-up days. If school is cancelled for bad weather, students and teachers will make up days as follows:
- First day missed— Make up on Feb. 15;
- Second day missed— Make up on March 11;
- Third day missed— Make up on April 1.
Unused snow make-up days will be student holidays. GCPS may make up any inclement weather days by using scheduled make-up days, and/or extending the school day or year.
Check the Gwinnett County Public Schools home page, watch GCPS TV (on AT&T U-verse under Local Government, on Charter Channel 180, or on Comcast Channel 24/26 depending on location), and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with news about inclement weather and school cancellations.
