Putnam Director Of Schools On School Closure Decision

Putnam County Director of Schools Corby King said it is a difficult decision to switch from a delayed school start to closing.

King said he tried starting with a delay to see how Friday morning’s weather would develop. However, he said fog was not lifting and reports were coming in from 911 and EMA.

“Vehicles that were sliding off into ditches this morning, a semi had turned around sideways on Highway 70 on a patch of ice,” King said. “The bridges and overpasses were covered in ice this morning.”

King said he knows it can be frustrating when closures are made on short notice. He said today’s delay turning into a closure took about 15 minutes to get pushed out to parents.

“I try to make those decisions the night before to give parents more notice,” King said. “That’s not always something we can do, even in the mornings. The sooner we can make a decision and get that out, the better.”

He said it’s a team effort within the school system to make a delay or closure decision. King said employees ranging from the Technology Supervisor to the Transportation Department play a role.

“They’re the ones that drive the buses that transport our students,” King said. “So, they go and they just drive the roads, they drive the areas where our buses go. They go to those remote areas where our students and families live and report back on the conditions.”

King said Friday morning’s fog not lifting, and reports of hazardous conditions coming in from 911 and Putnam EMA caused the closure.