Metro Nashville Public Schools: Preparing For Inclement Weather

From the Metro Nashville Public Schools:

February 10, 2021

Preparing for Inclement Weather

A Message from Director of Schools Adrienne Battle:

I wanted to let you know that we are closely monitoring the weather forecasts and tracking a potential inclement weather event over the next day or two. The number one priority for Metro Schools is the safety and well-being of our students and employees.

Decisions about morning closures and delays involve monitoring reports from the National Weather Service the day and night before and sending out members of our transportation team starting as early as 2 a.m. to check road conditions throughout Davidson County, with an anticipated decision by 5 a.m. as to whether to delay or cancel schools or after-school activities for the day. If there is certainty about inclement weather creating dangerous road conditions mid-day, a decision might be made in the morning about what to do for the rest of the day.

Now, as all of our students have access to an MNPS device and hotspot if they need it, we have the option to learn virtually. As a district, our calendar offers a certain number of days for inclement weather when schools are closed. We have three remaining for this school year, and if for some reason we have to go above three, we have the option to learn remotely during bad weather events without having to extend our school year.

We encourage students and staff to take their devices home each day to prepare for this possibility. As the tornadoes last year showed us, we can’t always predict when bad weather will hit.

Once we make a decision, it will be communicated to the media, on social media, and through callouts to parents. We must make decisions as a district, meaning that if we close school for those who are learning in person, school will also be closed for virtual learners unless we decide to have a virtual learning day for everyone.

We encourage families to have a plan for snow days, late openings, and/or early dismissal and to communicate that plan to their children. Whether schools are open or closed, we always encourage our students to use their devices to access their virtual modules and content to continue making learning progress.

Stay tuned to the news and keep your phone handy in case we have to make a decision tomorrow morning about whether to close schools or use the virtual option. We will only make an announcement if there is going to be a change to the normal schedule.

MNPS.org/weather

Families can visit mnps.org/weather for more details on how to receive alerts and stay informed throughout the day.

This press release was produced by the Metro Nashville Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.