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Memphis-Shelby County Schools will be closed Tuesday in the aftermath of a weekend winter storm.
Over the weekend, district leaders called off Monday classes as snow accumulated. The National Weather Service estimated three inches of snow on the ground in the Memphis area as of Monday. There is also an extreme cold warning in effect through Tuesday at noon. All extracurricular activities are cancelled when schools are closed.
According to The Daily Memphian, the city is making slow progress to clear streets, causing tough commutes. But Memphis residents aren’t facing the widespread power outages seen in Mississippi and eastern Tennessee.
MSCS leaders said families should keep checking the district website and social media accounts for updates. The Memphis school board also postponed its meeting scheduled for tomorrow, where a second donation from Elon Musk and the search method for MSCS’ next superintendent are on the agenda. It’s unclear when that meeting will take place.
Future closure decisions could happen as late as the morning of the affected school day. According to MSCS policy, the superintendent can close schools or dismiss early due to hazardous weather. Under Tennessee law, districts can use up to four hybrid instruction days per year, meaning some students are in-person and others virtual, and up to five remote learning days per semester due to inclement weather.
Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond could also choose to close individual schools instead of the whole district. MSCS has a handful of snow days built into the annual schedule to avoid extending the school year due to inclement weather.
Correction: An earlier version of this story previously stated that Tennessee law banned school districts from using virtual learning days during inclement weather. That is incorrect; districts can use up to five each semester.
Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
