Published: February 12, 2010 06:46 pm      

Schools close early again

Caroline Webb was disappointed school let out early on Friday.

“I like school,” said the City Park School fourth-grader who was in the middle of a Valentine’s Day party before Dalton Public Schools officials decided to dismiss at 11:30 a.m. due to the threat of snow.

Caroline’s mother, Karen Webb, said she’s just glad school system Superintendent Jim Hawkins decided to take extra precautions this time rather than risk another Jan. 29-like situation. Several parents complained then after Dalton schools did not dismiss early that day and several school buses spent the afternoon navigating icy roads. Schools officials were criticized again when they dismissed early on Feb. 8 and the weather remained relatively clear.

“I think that probably it’s better to err on the side of caution,” Karen Webb said. “... I think the superintendent is in kind of a difficult position.”

Murray County Schools dismissed at 2 p.m. on Friday. School system spokesman Dean Donehoo said officials decided to dismiss after snow began falling. Around noon, they “couldn’t find a flake in the county,” he said; then the weather system moved in.

Whitfield County Schools dismissed elementary bus riders and all grades of car riders and student riders at 11 a.m. Middle and high school bus riders dismissed at noon.

Whitfield County Emergency Management Agency director Jeff Putnam said Friday afternoon he supported the school system’s decision.

Putnam said school officials were already discussing closing early before he spoke with National Weather Service officials in Peachtree City. Putnam said he informed weather service forecasters of the school system’s concerns, and they agreed closing early was a smart move.

“We don’t make that recommendation,” Putnam said. “Our position is we will help them make that decision, but that decision falls onto (school officials).”

On Jan. 29, Whitfield County school officials left in the middle of a conference call with National Weather Service forecasters to dismiss school early, Putnam said, because snow was falling. He said the forecasters on the call were saying the system wouldn’t move in until later in the day.

On Feb. 8, the weather service recommended closing schools early because of a snow system approaching from Alabama, Putnam said, but the bad weather never arrived. Putnam said he supports school officials’ decision to close early this time.

“It’s much better to be on the safe side and get everybody home safely before it gets started real well than to have the kids out there after it’s already on the ground,” he said.

Putnam urged residents to be safe, stay off the roads as much as possible and slow down if they must get out.