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Update: Austin ISD cancels classes Jan. 28 in response to inclement weather
Updated Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m.:
In addition to cancelling classes for Jan. 28 because of weather and road conditions, Austin ISD has canceled all after-school activities for the day.
The district said in a news release that it plans to resume regular hours on Jan. 29 and will update families and staff if this changes.
For information about non-district events and activities scheduled Jan. 28 at AISD facilities, the district advises residents to contact sponsoring organizations directly.
Updated Jan. 28, 8:40 a.m.:
Austin ISD has cancelled classes for Jan. 28, citing weather and road conditions.
District offices will also be closed, according to an AISD news release.
Original story, posted Jan. 27:
Austin ISD schools will delay classes by at least two hours Jan. 28 in response to icy conditions and a weather warning advisory scheduled until noon in Austin.
"We're just trying to slow things down in the morning so everything can be safe," Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said.
Earlier in the week, the city of Austin called a winter weather advisory on Jan. 24, and all city offices, other agencies and schools closed. The city advised residents to avoid non-essential driving until the conclusion of the advisory when temperatures rose above freezing.
The Texas Department of Transportation said in a Jan. 27 news release that it was preparing for more winter weather expected to move into the area. TxDOT crews began pretreating bridges and overpasses after rush hour.
At the Jan. 27 meeting of the board of trustees, Carstarphen said that while Jan. 28's inclement weather is expected to be short-lived, she wanted to give families the two-hour delay so that they have the chance to plan.
"The National Weather Service has not changed their forecast since this afternoon and they still think it's a 20 to 30 percent chance of sleet and mixed snow that will start in the early hours of [the morning of Jan. 28]. So, since we recently had a dicey day I want to go ahead and get as much in front of it as possible," she said.
Carstarphen said the school district plans to update families and staff at 6 a.m.; a phone call or online update at that time would mean schools are closing. Updates are available at www.austinisd.org and @AustinISD on Twitter.
Additional information about statewide road conditions is available at www.drivetexas.org.
