Central Texas school districts are announcing weather-related closures as a winter storm is bearing down on the area.
Officials from area districts are following inclement weather protocols and consulting with local leaders and representatives from surrounding districts in deciding whether to delay or cancel school. Many said they would announce closure decisions on Wednesday or early Thursday.
Here are the latest closures:
Austin Discovery School
Leaders of the local charter school announced that classes will be canceled both Thursday and Friday in a Wednesday email.
The will be no remote learning and regular operations are expected to resume Monday, Head of School Reed Ramirez said in the email.
Austin ISD
The Austin school district will close Thursday and Friday, the district announced Wednesday afternoon. The district’s COVID-19 testing sites also will close.
All after school activities, including after school care, are canceled Wednesday, according to a district announcement.
Students and staff will not have to make up the days if the school board approves a resolution, the announcement said.
Bastrop ISD
The Bastrop school district will close Thursday and Friday, including all extracurricular activities, after school programs and COVID testing, due to the anticipated icy conditions.
District leaders said the missed days will not need to be made up.
Burnet CISD
All classes in the Burnet school district will be canceled Thursday, according to a an announcement posted online Wednesday.
More: How Austin-area districts are deciding whether to close schools ahead of winter storm
“District officials will continue to monitor weather and road conditions through Thursday, and if weather conditions allow, Burnet CISD will communicate any further delays or closures by 9:00 p.m. Thursday,” district leaders said in the announcement. “If the decision cannot be made by 9:00 p.m. Thursday, it will be communicated by 5:00 a.m. Friday morning.”
Del Valle ISD
The Del Valle school district will close Thursday and Friday. All after school activities are also canceled both days, Superintendent Annette Tielle said in an online announcement.
ACT testing and a chess tournament scheduled for Saturday will be postponed, she added.
“While this weather event is not forecast to be as severe as last winter’s storm, we are making this proactive decision to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” Tielle wrote.
Any further updates will be communicated by phone, text message and online.
Eanes ISD
The Eanes school district will close Thursday. The closure also will apply to all extra-curricular activities and child development, according to an email from the district.
Plans for Friday will be announced by Thursday afternoon. The district does not expect to add makeup days.
“Our current academic calendar has the flexibility to absorb two inclement weather days without extending the school year,” the email said.
Georgetown ISD
Georgetown schools and facilities will close Thursday and may remain closed on Friday, Superintendent Fred Brent wrote in an email. The Thursday closure includes all after school activities, the district’s COVID testing center at Pickett and the GISD Health & Wellness Clinic at Richarte, the email said.
“There is a possibility that classes could be canceled and the district closed on Friday as well if temperatures don’t warm up and allow for safe passage on roadways,” Brent wrote.
A decision on Friday plans will be announced by noon on Thursday, he added.
Harmony Public Schools
Harmony Public Schools will close all Austin-area campuses Thursday and Friday, according to an email from the charter school system.
Normal operations will resume Monday.
Hays CISD
Hays school district leaders in an email Wednesday morning announced the district will close both Thursday and Friday due to expected ice on roadways Thursday morning and extended freezing or subfreezing temperatures on Friday.
However, district leaders said some “limited, previously scheduled afterschool activities and competitions may be able to occur late Friday afternoon and evening.”
“Check with coaches and activity sponsors for the status of individual events,” district leaders advised.
Hutto ISD
The Hutto school district announced Tuesday evening that schools would close on Thursday due to the potential bad weather.
It was the first district in Central Texas to announce classes would be canceled because of the winter weather conditions expected starting early Thursday. District leaders warned that classes could also be canceled on Friday.
More: 5 things to know about the winter storm and extended freeze coming to Austin this week
“There is a potential that ice will be an issue again on Friday morning. We will continue to monitor weather conditions in coordination with city and county emergency management officials and will announce a return date by Thursday afternoon,” district officials said in an announcement. “Please continue to monitor district communications.”
Hutto district leaders said the cancellation might require the district to make up the time at a later date.
IDEA Public Schools
All IDEA campuses in the Austin area will close Thursday. Leaders of the charter school said they were still monitoring conditions for Friday and urged families to stay updated through their social media accounts and website.
Jarrell ISD
The Jarrell school district will close Thursday and Friday, based on forecasts for rain, ice and freezing temperatures, Superintendent Toni Hicks said in an announcement.
All extracurricular activities will be rescheduled, the announcement said.
KIPP Austin
All of KIPP Texas’ campuses in the Austin area will close Thursday, according to an email received by the American-Statesman.
All after school activities for Wednesday are also canceled, but leaders of the charter school system have not yet said whether school will be canceled or delayed Friday.
Lake Travis ISD
The Lake Travis school district will close Thursday and cancel all activities and events that day.
In an email, district leaders said they will make an announcement about plans for Friday by early Thursday afternoon.
All Wednesday activities and events are scheduled to proceed, district leaders said. The district will not need to make up the lost school day.
Leander ISD
Leander school district leaders will close schools Thursday, canceling classes and all other activities such as practices, games and rehearsals.
Families will be notified of potential school closures for Friday by 2 p.m. on Thursday, district leaders said in an online announcement.
District leaders reminded parents students are still scheduled to be released early Wednesday.
Manor ISD
All Manor schools and facilities will close Thursday and Friday, district leaders announced on Twitter. Classes will resume Monday.
Marble Falls ISD
The Marble Falls school district announced Wednesday morning it will close on Thursday and is monitoring weather conditions for Friday.
The Thursday closure includes “all practices, meetings, games, and other events,” district leaders said in a website announcement.
The school district may have to use its April 18 bad weather make-up day because of the Thursday cancellation, the announcement stated.
NYOS Charter School
The NYOS Charter School announced in an email it will close Thursday.
School leaders said they are monitoring weather forecasts and will share a decision about Friday plans by 5 p.m. Thursday.
Pflugerville ISD
Pflugerville school district leaders announced Wednesday morning they would close schools on Thursday.
More: Here’s how to prevent a trip to the emergency room during winter weather in Austin
“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and canceling school is the best way to ensure the safety of everyone in these weather conditions,” Pflugerville district officials stated in a tweet.
On the district’s website, officials also said they would communicate any school day changes for Friday “via phone call, email, text messages, and social media.”
A school board workshop scheduled for Thursday was also canceled.
Round Rock ISD
All Round Rock schools and district offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, district leaders announced in a Wednesday email.
“All before and after school activities are also canceled,” the email said.
District leaders clarified there will be no virtual classes and teaching will resume once schools open again.
San Marcos CISD
All campuses and offices in the San Marcos school district will close Thursday and Friday, district leaders announced Wednesday morning.
District leaders said they expect regular district operations to resume Monday.
Taylor ISD
Taylor school district leaders announced Wednesday morning that the district would close on Thursday due to predicted “unsafe travel conditions throughout the day.”
District leaders said they would share a decision about plans for Friday by Thursday afternoon. The district is not expected to make up the lost day because of the additional time built into the school calendar.
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Wimberley ISD
Wimberley schools will close Thursday and Friday, a district spokesperson told the American-Statesman.
The district is expected to to share the information with parents.
