Here's the Inside Scoop:
Making the Call on Weather
As news of impending weather sends families to the store, it sends school personnel to conference with other officials including the Alabama State Department of Education, City of Tuscaloosa, Shelton State Community College and Stillman College, Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency, Tuscaloosa County School System and The University of Alabama. Determining factors include:
- Arrival time of the weather event
- Forecast duration of weather event
- Temperature (including wind chill factor)
- Local road conditions
- School building conditions
- Operational status of other local educational institutions
- Ability of the TCS buses to operate on schedule
TCS provides bus transportation to more than 70 percent of its students, meaning that travel considerations play a large role in ensuring students get to and from school safely. Additionally, many students rely on the child nutrition program for daily breakfasts and lunches.
Superintendent Dr. Mike Daria said he recognizes that delaying or canceling school impacts more than just the school system.
"We know that this decision also impacts families who may need to adjust work schedules and figure out childcare options," said Daria. "We want to make decisions based on the most updated forecast and conditions while giving families as much advance notice as possible."
While we recognize the importance of students being in class to maximize instructional time, we must balance that with the safety of our students and staff.
How You Can Help.
Whether you are a parent or guardian or TCS employee, you can help by ensuring that the Tuscaloosa City Schools has the most up-to-date contact information on file--that includes both your email address and phone number. The information on file will be used to contact you directly in the event of a change to the academic calendar and work day.
TCS employees can update their contact information here. Families should contact the school for instructions how to update contact information. Changes take effect nightly.
Leaders will continue to monitor the weather throughout the day for possible weather changes and continue to monitor for the next couple of days. All Tuscaloosa City Schools' stakeholders will be notified once a final determination has been made through the contact information on file, TCS social media and local media.
Let's Talk!
Website: www.tuscaloosacityschools.com/letstalk
Location: 1210 21st Street, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Phone: 20507593700
Facebook: facebook.com/TCSBoardofEd
Twitter: @TCSBoardofEd