Monterey Bus Incident/Inclement Weather Reasons for School Closures November 13, 2019

Press Release from Putnam County School Board Deputy Director Corby King

The decision to close schools on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, was based on several factors using the same protocols that are used in every decision to close schools due to inclement weather. When making the decision to close schools, PCSS officials rely on a team-based approach:

1. Putnam County School System employees obtain reports about the road conditions from emergency services agencies including Putnam County 911, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the municipal police departments in Algood, Baxter, Cookeville, and Monterey.

2. PCSS has a team of school system employees that include Mr. Boyd and members of the school system transportation department who drive bus routes to monitor conditions throughout the county. In the mornings when inclement conditions are possible, the team begins monitoring roadways, forecasts, and temperatures at 3:30 am.

3. When monitoring conditions, PCSS officials check for unsafe driving conditions including icy roads, bridges, and overpasses.

4. PCSS officials continue to monitor the status of roads and other factors that lead to unsafe conditions throughout the day whenever inclement weather is predicted.

5. Anytime conditions are deemed unsafe by the team, a recommendation is made to close or delay schools.  Per the recommendation of the team based on all of the data gathered, Mr. Boyd makes the final decision per Board policy.

6. Often, school start times are delayed in order to allow maximum sunlight on surfaces that will clear potentially icy spots.

7. While cold temperatures are a factor in the decision to delay or close schools, they are rarely a sole factor in the decision. However, when temperatures and wind chill temperatures are predicted to begin and remain in single digits throughout the school day it is possible that a decision will be made to close or delay schools.

Conditions often change rapidly in early morning hours and weather forecasts can be unreliable. This sometimes leads to decisions being made or changed quickly in order to notify families and ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff members.

Concerning the bus incident in Monterey this afternoon, PCSS transportation supervisor, Kim Bradford, states, “Bus 99 was making a turn on the corner of Old Walton and Harristown Road in Monterey when the bus slid sideways due to slick conditions that had developed during the afternoon hours. The driver was concerned that he would slide into the ditch if he continued to attempt to travel the road so he called for assistance. There were no students on the bus at the time of this incident.”

The bus incident did not factor into the decision to close schools for Wednesday, November 13, but the conditions that led to the bus incident were a factor. Continuing snow throughout the day on Tuesday led to an increased number of roads becoming blanketed with snow and/or ice in the higher elevations of Putnam County. Cold temperatures throughout the evening and early morning hours will not allow sufficient time for roadways to clear enough for buses and student drivers to travel safely.