Most Memphis schools will reopen Tuesday after weekend storm

Most Memphis-Shelby County Schools will resume classes on Tuesday following a weekend storm, with the exception of 18 campuses that are still closed for recovery efforts. The district had previously used one of its allotted weather cancellation days just a month after the start of the school year. In February, the schools had to apply for an emergency waiver after closing for 10 consecutive days due to a winter storm.

The weekend storm brought winds exceeding 70 mph, causing power outages for nearly 140,000 households. Memphis Light, Gas, and Water stated that full service restoration may not occur until Thursday. While restoring power is the initial step towards reopening schools, district officials emphasize that HVAC systems, building infrastructure, traffic accessibility, and overall school safety must be thoroughly assessed and restored before students and staff can return.

School officials are closely monitoring the situation overnight, as conditions could potentially change. Families will receive real-time updates from the district or individual schools regarding any adjustments to the reopening schedule. It is worth noting that all after-school activities for Tuesday remain canceled.

The January winter storm had previously crippled city and county streets for nearly two weeks, leading to the cancellation of school for most students in Memphis. Without the state Education Department's emergency waiver, Memphis-Shelby County Schools would have been required to either extend the school year or reduce scheduled breaks to make up for the lost instructional time.