Gainesville and Hall County schools will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 18, due to lingering winter weather conditions, according to statements from the school systems.
In Hall, schools are closing due “to road, parking lot and campus conditions, coupled with inevitability of black ice,” a statement from the school system says. “All 12-month employees should contact their immediate supervisor for further directions regarding the preparation for a safe return to school on Wednesday.”
District spokesman Stan Lewis cited road conditions in the northern part of the district as the main reason for closing schools. The main concern, he said, is black ice, especially on some of the back roads. He noted poor conditions near high schools including Chestatee, North Hall and East Hall.
Lewis said they will make a decision Tuesday morning about whether to allow afterschool activities, but it will depend on whether conditions improve.
Gainesville schools are closing for similar reasons.
“Due to continuing damage from the winter weather, Gainesville City School System will be closed tomorrow,” according to a statement from the school system. “Only 12-month employees should report to work when safe to do so.”
Joy Griffin, spokeswoman for Gainesville schools, likewise mentioned black ice as the primary reason for closing schools. She also mentioned that some students are still without power. Georgia Power, which serves Gainesville, had just over 1,000 customers without power as of 4:30 p.m. Monday in Hall County.