WCS Communications Expectations for Inclement Weather

From WCS inFocus

Snowy Road Inclement Weather

Williamson County Schools families, staff and students can expect to be notified in a number of ways should the district need to close due to inclement weather.

Families and staff will receive school closing notifications on their phone and in email. In addition, the information will being posted on the WCS website, the WCS mobile app, Facebook page and Twitter feed as well as through traditional news media outlets. The district aims to reach out by 9 p.m. if schools will be canceled the next day, but that may not always be possible.

“We try to make decisions as early as we can, but sometimes that isn’t an option,” said WCS Superintendent Jason Golden. “If the decision to close school is made overnight, parents and staff can expect a phone call early in the morning. We will begin calling homes as early as 5 a.m.”

All WCS schools will be closed on inclement weather days, and no remote learning will be offered. A State rule adopted last fall prohibits remote learning without prior approval by the State Commissioner of Education, based on a significant impact of COVID-19 quarantines or isolations on school operations, impacting students, teachers and/or staff.

“When making these decisions, we look at the district as a whole,” Golden said. “If we must close schools for weather, all school campuses and our online schools will be closed.”

For closures before the school day begins, families will only be called at the main number on file in Skyward. If school is dismissed during the day, parents will receive calls at all phone numbers on file. To receive an email notification, an email address must be in the school’s database.

In Middle Tennessee, any type of inclement weather, including snow, ice and flooding, may cause schools to close. Since Williamson County is large with many rural roads, hazardous conditions in one part of the county may close the entire district.

When schools are closed, events are automatically canceled. However, if conditions improve throughout the day, the superintendent may make the decision to hold an event at the high school level.

The School Age Child Care (SACC) program will communicate plans with families who used extended care at their elementary school. Should the school system close for inclement weather, College, Career and Technical Education (CCTE) childcare is also closed.

The district has 10 inclement weather days built into the 2021-22 school calendar to use if needed. Any additional missed days must be rescheduled.