CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – When winter weather occurs, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) takes into account several factors before making the decision to cancel school.

“The safety and well-being of our students is always a top priority,” CMCSS spokesperson Elise Shelton told ClarksvilleNow.com.

CMCSS Director of Schools Millard House II said many factors come into play when making the decision.

“Number one is the overall temperature. Let’s say, for instance it was a Monday and buses have not been started since Friday. If you’ve got temperatures below 10 to 15 degrees, sometimes it becomes difficult, and to not have the manpower to send around to 300 buses to get those buses started makes it difficult to have school on a Monday,” he said. “But if it happens during the week we have a different process.”

The latest school closings and delays from ClarksvilleNow.com can be found here.

Learn more about the step-by-step process, as well as the plan for make-up days:

HOW DOES CMCSS MAKE THE DECISION?
The decision to open or close schools is based on a careful consideration of all relevant factors, such as:
• Data from the National Weather Service with updates regarding temperature, wind chill, and snow/ice accumulation.
• Information from our operations and transportation department about any issues that might occur with buses.
• Changes to the weather forecast during the course of the school day that indicates if conditions will improve or worsen.
• Mechanical systems in schools are checked to make sure electricity and heat are working properly.
• District administrators talk with maintenance and custodial staff to check conditions of parking lots and sidewalks.

WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
The superintendent makes the final decision to keep schools open or closed during inclement weather. The decision is made based on the factors mentioned above.

WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE?
The decision is made by 6 a.m.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CONTACT PARENTS?
• Information is posted on social media and then on the district website.
• The phone notification system is used to call parents/guardians.
• Local media.

“In general, we will only make an announcement if schools will be closed,” Shelton said. :The phone notification system is not used to let parents know that schools will be open. We may use social media to give assurances that school is open or that a decision has not yet been made.”

ATHLETICS/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
If school is not in session, all athletic and extra-curricular activities, including practices, may be cancelled.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY
If schools are not closed, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents and guardians to decide if conditions safely allow for their children to attend school. If school is in session and you decide to keep your child home due to weather conditions, CMCSS says it will count as an excused absence, unless your child has exceeded the allowable number of absences. In this case, you must contact the school to let them know your child will not be in attendance.

WHAT IS THE MAKE-UP PLAN WHEN STUDENTS MISS DAYS FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER?
• The first five days missed by students will not be made up and will come from stockpiled student days.
• The sixth day missed and subsequent days will be made up as available:
• January 7, 2019 (staff development day)
• February 18, 2019 (Presidents Day)
• Early release day on March 1, 2019 will be converted to a full day with thirty minutes added to eight additional school days to equal one day.
• Thirty minutes added to twelve days not to infringe upon the state testing window to account for one make up day
• Make up for days missed beyond this plan will be determined as circumstances require.
• This make up plan applies to missed student days. Teachers will be allowed three days missed due to inclement weather without making them up.

For more information, visit the CMCSS Weather website.