Early morning snowfall and frigid temperatures led to hazardous road conditions in parts of western North Carolina on Thursday, February 5, resulting in the closure of Buncombe County Schools for the day.
The school district announced the closure at 6:22 a.m., citing ongoing snowfall and deteriorating road conditions that raised safety concerns for students and staff. In their statement, district officials clarified that this closure would not be a remote learning day since they had already reached their limit of five remote learning days allowed by state law for the academic year.
Buncombe County Schools noted, “State calendar law limits the school system to only 5 remote learning days per school year and unfortunately, we have used all of them,” emphasizing the inability to transition to remote learning. As a result, students were encouraged to use the day to catch up on assignments from earlier in the week.
Nearby, Asheville City Schools adapted their plans as well, designating Thursday as a remote learning day after the snowfall began. This last-minute adjustment comes on the heels of a weekend snowstorm that prompted closures in most mountain school districts, including Buncombe County, for several days.
District leaders have previously made scheduling adjustments due to multiple remote learning days, which have frustrated parents who were already managing plans based on the original calendar. Recently canceled events included an early dismissal planned for February 12 and a teacher workday on February 13.
As winter weather continues to impact the region, it’s crucial for families to stay informed of schedule changes to adapt accordingly. The resilience shown by the local school communities illustrates their capacity to navigate these challenging weather conditions while prioritizing the safety and education of students.