Kingsport school leaders outline inclement-weather decision process after recent storms

Kingsport City Schools officials on Feb. 10 described how the district decides whether to close or delay schools during winter weather, emphasizing a multi-person approach, advance forecasting and clear communication with families.

The presentation laid out a staged process that begins five to seven days before a potential event and narrows as forecasts firm up. Officials said they rely on National Weather Service briefings from Morristown, point-forecast tools, webinars with forecasters and local meteorologists to identify which neighborhoods may be most affected. "We typically are looking, especially at this time of year, 5 to 7 days in advance," a district presenter said during the board meeting.

The district stressed that decisions are team-based rather than made by a single person, and bus drivers and transportation staff have significant sway on safety calls. Officials described early-morning road and school-site checks that begin as early as about 3:15 a.m. and noted a formal morning deadline of 5:15 a.m. for final schedule changes "because our buses start pulling out at 5:30," a presenter said. For overnight situations, the district said it will not make or announce decisions after 9 p.m. and will instead decide in the morning when additional data are available.

Officials also addressed recent social-media rumors about bus accidents. In response to a board member question, one presenter said, "there was no wreck," and explained that drivers had stopped in difficult road conditions and called for assistance so students were never placed at risk.

To reach families, the district described a layered communications plan: SchoolMessenger (phone, email and text), a recorded weather line, the district website and social media, plus notification to television and radio partners. The district also coordinates with partners such as Kingsport police and third-party crossing-guard services. Leaders said they sometimes post photos of problematic roads or school lots to provide context when conditions vary across town.

Officials warned that third-party apps and AI-generated messages have created confusion in a few cases and urged families to rely on district channels. They also reiterated that parents may keep a child home if they judge travel unsafe; such absences are excused under district policy.

The presentation concluded with an operational note that maintenance crews, custodial staff and transportation workers run pre-dawn checks using plows and salt to attempt to keep sites safe, but decisions will prioritize student and staff safety over maintaining the schedule.