School closings announced ahead of expected severe weather in Georgia Friday

ATLANTA - School districts across metro Atlanta and north Georgia are preparing for a severe weather threat on Friday. Some are opting to close, delay, or move to online learning as a result.

The FOX 5 Storm Team is currently tracking the threat, which consists of a threat of tornadoes, damaging winds, and frequent lightning.

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Here is the latest information from each of the school districts:

Clayton County Public Schools 

Clayton County Public Schools will be closed on Friday due to inclement weather.

All students in grades PreK-12 and all staff will remain home.

All afterschool programs and scheduled athletics events have been canceled. 

The district is providing instructional materials for all grade levels to support independent at-home learning:

• K-2nd Grade Instructional Resources
• 3rd-5th Grade Instructional Resources
• 6th-8th Grade Instructional Resources
• 9th-12th Grade Instructional Resources

Additionally, Antwong's Learning Academy will be closed. 

Cobb County Schools

The Cobb County School District is monitoring Friday's severe weather threat, but believe it will not be impacting operations.

Teaching and learning will continue as normal on Friday.

The district continues to monitor the changes to the weather forecast and will update plans as needed.

Coweta County Schools

The Coweta County School District will be closed to all students and educators on Friday.

Facilities and maintenance staff should report at their regularly scheduled time due to their essential role in storm preparation. All other employees should not report to work.

All after-school and other school-related activities are canceled on Friday.

Decatur City Schools

Decatur City Schools will be operating as normal on Friday, but all afterschool activities will be canceled.

In addition, the City of Decatur’s Animal Crackers and Whiz Kids programs will not be assembled.

College Heights ECLC and the Frazier Center 0-3 programs will close at 4 p.m. 

Students in grades 3-5 should charge Chromebooks overnight and bring devices and chargers back to school on Friday.

DeKalb County School District

The DeKalb County School District says schools will be held as scheduled.

All Friday activities and afterschool programs have been canceled.

Fayette County Schools

Fayette County Public Schools will hold a digital learning day on Friday.

All 240 employees should report at their regularly scheduled time.

Students should log on to their Schoology accounts to access their assignments from their teachers.

Additionally, Kiddie Kottage Christian School will be closed. 

Fulton County Schools

The Fulton County School System is expecting the weather will not impact school operations. Parents and employees should assume school is in session and operating on normal schedules.

There is no change to our school schedules for Friday.

Any changes to this plan will be made no later than 5:30 a.m. Friday.

The district has not made any announcements about Friday's afterschool activities.

Griffin-Spalding County Schools

The Griffin-Spalding County School System has announced that it will be closed Friday due to impending severe weather in the area.

All activities are considered canceled, including athletic events locally and out of town. 

No employee or student is expected to report to a GSCS facility.

The school system says it expects to return to normal operations on Jan. 16. 

GET FULL LIST OF CLOSINGS AND DELAYS

Henry County Schools 

Henry County Schools has also announced that it will be closed. Facilities and maintenance staff should report at their regularly scheduled time due to their essential role in storm preparation, according to the school district. 

All other employees should not report to work. 

All school-related activities are canceled on Friday, and a decision will be made by Friday evening regarding weekend activities. 

Additionally, Heritage Baptist Christian School will be closed. 

Jasper County Charter Schools

Jasper County Charter Schools will be released two hours early Friday.

Jasper County Preschool, Jasper County Primary School, and Washington Park Elementary School will begin release at 12:30 p.m.

Jasper County Middle School and Jasper County High School will begin release at 1 p.m.

Meriwether County Schools

Meriwether County Schools will transition to remote learning on Jan. 12. 

The school system says it will continue to monitor the inclement weather situation and provide further updates if required. 

Pike County Schools

The Pike County School District announced schools will be closed on Friday.

Newton County Schools

Newton County Schools will be dismissing early on Friday.

Elementary and Newton County STEAM Academy students will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m., high school students will be released at 12:15 p.m., and middle school students will be dismissed at 1:15 p.m.

Lunch will be served at schools before students are dismissed and all students who ride school buses home in the afternoon will be transported to their normal bus stops.

Troup County Schools

Troup County Schools will be closed on Friday.

All after-school activities and athletics will also be canceled. Any Saturday activities will continue as scheduled.

All 240-day employees should report to work as normal.

Metro Atlanta private schools closed

The following private schools around metro Atlanta have announced that they will be closed on Friday:

• Benjamin Academy in McDonough,
• Camelot Christian Academy in Rex,
• Growing Minds Christian Academy in Fayetteville.

Peoples Baptist Academy in McDonough has canceled all after-school activities. 

Metro Atlanta college closures

Georgia Piedmont Technical College will close all of its campuses starting at noon on Friday.

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