Snow days ahead: Local school systems still have days left to use

This week's snow put a dent in the days local school systems have stockpiled for inclement weather.

School had barely resumed after the winter holidays when snow and cold hit. Most systems closed on Tuesday, Jan. 16, in anticipation of the storm. On Thursday, students were still at home as temperatures in many areas hovered around freezing. 

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Knox County Schools have used four of the 10 days built into the system's calendar for inclement weather. Three of those were for this week's snow. The first was when schools were closed for the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. 

Knox County Schools will be open Friday but on a two-hour delay.

Knox County has several options should it use all 10 of its built-in "snow days" and need more, Schools Director of Public Information Carly Harrington said in an email Thursday.

One option would be to turn currently scheduled staff development days into instructional days, she said. The system also could consider adding days to extend the year, now set to end for students May 24, or hold classes on Saturday, Harrington said.

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Blount County Schools built 11 inclement weather days into its 2017-18 calendar. As of Thursday, students had been out of class five, and Blount County will be closed Friday, so the system has five remaining days to use.

Anderson County Schools has used seven of its nine stockpiled days and will also be closed Friday. That system built a plan into its calendar should bad weather shut school for more than nine days.

Under that plan, three days — March 16, April 2 and May 14 — could be used as instructional days for Anderson County students. Those days are currently set as in-service, administrative or staff development days.

If more than 12 days are needed to handle inclement weather, Anderson County officials would extend the school year.

Sevier County Schools has used five of its 13 stockpiled days and also will be closed Friday. Four days were for January's weather; one for the August eclipse. That leaves Sevier County schools with another seven days before any changes would be needed to the calendar, Assistant Superintendent Debra Cline said.

If all 13 stockpiled days are used in Sevier County, officials could consider extending the school year, holding Saturday classes or extending hours in the school day for a designated time period in order to build up a day or days.