Winter storm cancels Greenville County Schools weekend activities

• A winter storm has caused schools and universities in the Upstate to alter schedules and close.
• Greenville County Schools canceled all weekend activities and will make decisions about the upcoming week later.
• The district’s decision-making process prioritizes safety and involves a large team evaluating road and facility conditions.
• Several area universities, including Clemson and Furman, have shifted to e-learning or canceled classes.

This story has been updated to include the latest information regarding school closings.

Greenville County Schools, universities, and colleges across the Upstate have announced schedule changes and closures due to this weekend’s winter storm.

Tim Waller, director of media relations at Greenville County Schools, shared that the school district’s decision to delay, close, dismiss early, or shift to e-learning is guided by a core priority: the safety of students and faculty.

“Because Greenville County sits in the foothills of South Carolina, weather conditions can change quickly and vary widely across the county. One neighborhood may appear fine, while another area — just a few miles away — may have icy secondary roads, unsafe school entrances, or power issues.” he said.

Here’s what the school district has announced regarding weekend activities and Jan. 26.

All weekend activities, including athletic events and field trips, are canceled Jan. 24 through Jan. 26, the district announced in a press release. Facilities will be closed.

“This decision was made based on the forecasts and timing for freezing rain and sleet, which may result in unsafe road conditions, downed power lines, and loss of electrical services,” district officials said in a statement. All “updates regarding next week will be sent through Backpack, local media, and the district’s website and social media.”

The district also announced it will have an e-learning day Jan. 26. The day will not need to be made up because Greenville County Schools is an approved e-learning district. Instruction will be provided virtually.

How does GCS make the decision to close schools?

Greenville County Schools deploys an inclement conditions evaluation team comprised of 30-40 trained staff members, who are assigned to geographic zones in the county. The duty of these members is to “check road temperatures and driving conditions, with particular attention to bridges, shaded roads, hills, and other high-risk areas that can freeze first,” said Waller. The team also inspects school facilities to check for issues like power outages, ice patches on walkways, or storm-related damage.

Field reports are combined with additional monitoring by district staff who keep track of radar, forecasts, and changing conditions. The district consults directly with meteorologists and partners like the South Carolina Department of Transportation, utility companies, and law enforcement agencies such as the Highway Patrol.

“When possible, we aim to make a decision in the late afternoon or early evening for the following day so families and staff can plan ahead. If conditions remain uncertain, District officials begin the evaluation process as early as 4 a.m., with the goal of notifying families by 6 a.m. This schedule reflects the reality that many employees must be on site between 5 and 5:30 a.m., traveling in the dark when hazards are harder to see and avoid,” said Waller.

Transportation is a major factor when making decisions, with every bus route considered in terms of safety. Main roads are not the only roads considered when it comes to being safely operational ― neighborhood streets and school entrances where ice can linger are monitored, too.

“This is especially important in a school choice district like Greenville County Schools, where many students travel farther than their home-based attendance area. Even if roads appear passable in one part of the county, we have to consider the full range of commutes across all zones,” Waller said.

Anderson University

Anderson University will be transitioning to remote campus operations (e-learning) on Jan. 26 because of the weekend forecast for inclement weather, according to a Jan. 22 storm report. A decision regarding classes beyond Jan. 26 has yet to be announced.

Clemson University

Clemson University will conduct e-learning on Jan. 26, said Clemson News. In-person classes or labs will not meet, and all academic instruction should be sent in an online modality.

Converse University

The Emergency Response Team at Converse University is actively monitoring evolving weather conditions. The university will hold e-learning on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27. All campus activities scheduled for the weekend, Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 have been canceled or rescheduled, including athletic events.

Faculty will communicate directly with students regarding expectations and coursework during e-learning days.

Furman University

Furman University announced it will be closed from Jan. 24 through Jan. 26. All classes and on-campus events are canceled.

Greenville Technical College

According to Becky Mann, director of executive communications and public relations at Greenville Technical College, campuses will close at 5 p.m. on Jan. 23. The Child Development Center will also be closing at 5:30 p.m. Campuses will remain closed through Jan. 25. All weekend classes and business operations will be virtual during this time. All activities are canceled. The college will have an update on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. regarding next week’s plans.

Lander University

Classes beginning at 12 p.m. or Jan. 23 are canceled, said Lander University in an alert. Campus offices will be open on Jan. 23 on a normal schedule. Campus transportation services like Lander Line/Shuttle will be suspended for Jan. 24 and Jan. 25. Essential employees are being asked to report to campus Jan. 24 and Jan. 25.

The university has decided to move to virtual, asynchronous instruction on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27.

“It is possible that conditions could require a shift to virtual instruction for the remainder of next week. Decisions regarding classes and operations for Wednesday will be announced on Tuesday.” said the university in the latest alert.

North Greenville University

A severe weather advisory from North Greenville University stated school operations will run as normal on Jan. 23. The university will be closed from Jan. 24 through Jan. 26. Campus conditions will be reevaluated the morning of Jan. 26 to determine plans for Jan. 27.

Southern Wesleyan University

South Wesleyan University’s Emergency Response Team announced classes will be canceled starting 1 p.m. Jan. 23 through Jan. 26.

Nina Tran is the public safety and education reporter for The Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. She has also covered trending topics for the newsroom. Reach her via email at ntran@usatodayco.com.