It’s official. Due to continued freezing temperatures, Fulton County, DeKalb County and Atlanta Public schools will be closed tomorrow, Jan. 7.
All three schools systems had a teacher workday planned for Jan. 6 and students were to return to class the following day. With the high tomorrow expected to be in the upper 20-degree range, school officials decided not to risk it.
APS explained its decision on its Facebook page.
“APS has been in consultation with national, state, and local officials regarding the predicted freezing temperatures for Tuesday,” the school system’s Facebook page says. “District leadership has also been in communication with other metro school systems regarding their plans. The forecast for tomorrow morning is 7 degrees with a predicted wind chill factor of -13 degrees. After careful consideration, APS wants to ensure the safety of our students who walk to school, the 22,000 who are transported by bus, and our employees. All of these factors led to our decision to close schools and administrative offices tomorrow.”
DeKalb County Schools also cited student safety as the overriding factor in its decision.
“Superintendent Michael Thurmond announces that the DeKalb County School District will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 due to high winds and extremely cold temperatures,” the DCS Facebook page says. “The District will close to protect the health and well being of students and staff because of the potential risks associated with frostbite and hypothermia. All scheduled events, including after school programs and extra-curricular activities are canceled. The District consulted with the National Weather Service and Dr. Sandra Ford, Director of DeKalb County Board of Health. According to Dr. Ford, ‘As wind speeds increase, heat is carried away from the body faster, which lowers skin temperature, increasing risk for frostbite and hypothermia. In the weather we are expecting, children would need hats, gloves, coats, and even face coverings, as well as appropriate shoes and socks to protect those areas at greatest risk for damage from exposure: fingers, toes, earlobes, and the tip of the nose.’”
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