Superintendent says student safety comes first in school closures

The roads are clear, so why don’t we have school?  That’s what you might think, but it’s far from the truth, according to Clay School Superintendent William Sexton.

Clay County schools have been closed for seven days, and a severe temperature drop may keep them out even longer.

Sexton says the safety of the students is his top priority when making these decisions.

“We (school staff) have been to various locations throughout the county the last three days,” he said.  “All asphalt roads are very passable, but gravel roads are a solid sheet of ice.”

The superintendent says the low temperatures predicted for this week could keep them out even longer.

“We are monitoring all of the gravel roads, but I don’t see them melting very much with the temperatures forecasted,” he said.

The district has been utilizing Non-Traditional (NTI) days to minimize the impact of students’ education.  These virtual learning days allow instruction to continue even when snow and ice make roads unsafe for travel.

“It is essential we get back in school,” Sexton said.  “But the safety of the students will always take precedence.”