Georgia school closings, delays: Severe weather shifts plans for Atlanta, Cherokee, Meriwether counties

Severe weather moving through metro Atlanta changed school plans Monday, with Atlanta Public Schools and Meriwether County Schools shifting to remote learning, several districts delaying the start of school, and others staying on their normal schedules.

Atlanta Public Schools said it would hold a remote learning day Monday, March 16, because the incoming storm could create hazardous travel conditions for school buses. The district said schools and teachers would share virtual learning details directly with families Monday morning.

Meriwether County Schools also said all schools would transition to remote learning Monday because of the threat of severe weather from the approaching storm front. The district said teachers may send information about assignments and cited uncertainty about the storm's arrival, along with the possibility of power outages and impassable roads caused by downed trees and power lines.

Cherokee County School District said it delayed all school start times and bus pickup times by exactly two hours because of the timing of the storms and a tornado watch in effect for the area. The district said breakfast service would be modified, morning prekindergarten was canceled and afternoon prekindergarten would operate on its normal schedule.

Forsyth County Schools said it would also operate on a two-hour delay because of an expected cold front and severe weather moving through the area. The district said all school start times and morning bus routes would begin two hours later than normal, while dismissal times would remain unchanged. School buildings and district facilities will open on the adjusted schedule, and all morning practices, athletics and activities were canceled.

Pickens County and Coweta County schools will also operate on a two-hour delay, school officials said.

Gwinnett County Public Schools said it would operate on a normal schedule Monday. The district said it was aware of the storms moving through the area and would continue monitoring conditions. It encouraged students, families and staff to use caution while traveling, allow extra time for the morning commute and stay alert to changing weather conditions.

Cobb County School District also said all schools would operate on a normal schedule Monday. The district said it had been monitoring the severe weather expected to move through metro Atlanta from Sunday night into early Monday morning. Cobb schools encouraged families to monitor local weather conditions and allow additional travel time, and said buses may travel a little slower than normal.

Troup County Schools announced all schools and offices would be closed Monday, March 16, citing the timing of severe weather expected overnight and into the early morning.

Meanwhile, City Schools of Decatur said all schools and facilities would open two hours later than usual because of the storms moving through the region. District leaders said the delay was especially important because many Decatur students walk to school. Families with bus riders were encouraged to monitor bus arrival times using the Here Comes the Bus app. Storms were moving through the Atlanta area Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

School districts said they would continue monitoring the weather as conditions changed.