First weather day of the school year

For several school districts in Whitley County, Monday was the first ‘snow day’ of the year.

Both Whitley County and Corbin Independent school districts canceled in-person classes Monday and opted to use Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) days for their students.

NTI days allow students to complete work at home. This translates to fewer days students have to make up at the end of the school year.

“Districts can apply for NTI days with the Kentucky Department of Education for use on inclement weather days and for sickness,” said Whitley County Superintendent John Siler.

Whitley County used its first Colonel Weather Day, or NTI day, on Monday due to hazardous road conditions.

“Determining if road conditions are too hazardous for school buses is done by the school district’s transportation director and several of his staff members,” said Siler. “On days that road conditions could possibly be hazardous, they begin checking roads between 3:30-4:00 a.m. If a final determination has not been made after assessing the road, then myself [Siler] and the transportation director take part in a conference call offered by the National Weather Service in Jackson, KY at 5:00 a.m.”

In Corbin, the district’s first NTI day was used because of a power outage which affected much of south Corbin, including Corbin High School and parts of downtown.

Corbin Superintendent David Cox said the district planned to go ahead with classes until a transformer blew and knocked out power.

“There was a power line that had burnt in two and was in the road, and our buses were going to have to reroute as well,” said Cox. “I wasn’t going to send a thousand kids down to the high school without electricity, and not knowing when it would come back on.”

Cox said with no power and uncertain weather conditions, the decision was made to use the district’s first NTI day.

Students were able to complete work online via their Chromebook. For students affected by the power outages, Cox said the district has a policy that allows students to complete work within five days.

‘Snow days’ for Corbin are determined using a similar method as Whitley County.

The transportation director, safety director and the superintendent all drive portions of the community at approximately 4:30 to 5 a.m. to determine road conditions. Corbin School District Deputy Superintendent Cynthia Davis joins a 5 a.m. phone call from the National Weather Service. Cox said the district also uses a website to determine road temperatures.

Using all of the information the district administrators determine whether school should be canceled or can proceed.