Cobb County

Cobb County: Canceling school is hardest decision superintendent has to make

By Wendy Corona, WSB-TV
By Wendy Corona, WSB-TV

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Despite warmer temperatures and no snow, Cobb County schools canceled classes again for Tuesday.

The remnants of this past weekend’s ice event had the district considering tens of thousands of people and their commute.

Channel 2’s Wendy Corona spent the day Tuesday talking with school district officials about what goes into the decision making process to close down the district in cases like this.

Corona was told the decision to cancel classes is the single hardest decision a superintendent has to make.

“Safety is our chief concern and we don't want to put anybody at risk,” Donna Lowry with the Cobb County School District told Corona.

TRENDING STORIES:

That's why Cobb County schools made the decision late Monday evening to cancel classes at its 114 schools.

“We consulted with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Cobb Police Department to help us make the decision,” Lowry said.

The district's biggest concern remained with the northern one-third of schools and families despite warmer temperatures Tuesday.

“My driveway is still frozen at the top,” Cobb resident Sennie Clark told Corona.

Clark believes it was the best decision to keep schools closed. Conditions she experienced in her east Cobb County neighborhood proved to her that getting kids to school wasn't worth the risk.

“I wouldn't want my kid on the school bus if they had to deal with this ice,” Clark said.

The remnants of this past weekend’s ice event had the district considering tens of thousands of people and their commute.

“When the decision is made to close the school, it's considering every part of the district and we're a large district,” Lowry said.

The district holds 112,000 students from Mableton in the south and north to Acworth. It's estimated 72,000 students ride the bus to and from school daily, not to mention staff that commutes from surrounding counties.

And the ultimate decision is all or nothing.

“It's either we close none of the schools, we keep them all open, or we close all of the schools. We don't make a decision on just closing a few of the schools,” Lowry said.

Every year, the school district builds snow days into its calendar and Corona was told the district is still within the limits at this time, so they don't have to add any make-up days.

Cox Media Group

Most Read