School Closings And Delays in Far East Tennessee Disrupt Morning Routines and Commutes

Families, bus drivers and school staff in far East Tennessee are the first to feel the impact of a winter weather advisory that has prompted widespread school closures and delayed starts. School Closings And Delays affect childcare plans, transportation logistics and meal access for students — the immediate consequences land hardest on households that rely on school-run buses or on-site lunches.

Immediate impacts on households and travel as School Closings And Delays take effect

Here’s the part that matters: the advisory calls for slippery roads and a disruption to both morning and evening commutes, which reshapes how families arrange drop-offs, work schedules and after-school supervision. Most of East Tennessee is under a hazardous weather outlook as flurries started to fall and temperatures dropped, and officials are warning residents to plan for difficult driving conditions.

Some announcements followed heavy overnight snowfall, while other communities saw only flurries; heavy snowfall isn't predicted for Knoxville or Oak Ridge, and schools there are on schedule. The advisory notes accumulations of up to 4 inches are expected, with even higher totals at the top of Great Smoky Mountains peaks. It will be very cold and windy.

Weather advisory and travel warnings shaping the day

The advisory includes the explicit warning: "Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning and evening commutes. " That warning frames why several districts chose closure or delay rather than full in-person openings. Flurries began falling in parts of the region while temperatures dropped, and most of East Tennessee is under a hazardous weather outlook.

What's easy to miss is that conditions are uneven across the region: some areas recorded heavier overnight snow while others — including Knoxville and Oak Ridge — were expected to avoid heavy accumulations and kept schools on schedule. This patchwork means travel routes matter as much as county lines for families deciding whether to attempt a morning commute.

Which districts are closed or delayed (all items for Monday, Feb. 23)

• Campbell County Schools: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23
• Carter County School District: Closed Monday, Feb. 23
• Claiborne County Schools: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23
• Cocke County Schools: Two-hour delay for Monday, Feb. 23
• Grainger County Schools: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23
• Heritage Christian Academy: Two-hour delay for Monday, Feb. 23
• Johnson County Schools: Closed Monday, Feb. 23
• Rogersville City School: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23
• Scott County Schools: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23; Central Office and related departments are on a two-hour delay
• Sevier County Schools: Two-hour delay for Monday, Feb. 23
• Unicoi County Schools: No in-person learning — virtual learning begins at 10 a. m.; lunches will be available for pickup for all students at either Unicoi Elementary or Unicoi High School between 11 a. m. and 1 p. m.; students can go to whichever school is closer to them
• Union County Schools: Closed for Monday, Feb. 23; Central Office will be open

This list will be updated as additional notices arrive.

Logistics, virtual instruction and meal access in affected districts

Unicoi County’s decision to shift to virtual learning with a 10 a. m. start and to offer lunch pickup between 11 a. m. and 1 p. m. is the most detailed operational change in the region; students may use either Unicoi Elementary or Unicoi High School for pickup depending on which is closer. Scott County’s central office and related departments are on a two-hour delay even though schools are closed. Union County’s central office will remain open while the district's schools are closed.

• Plan for altered start times and virtual schedules if your district is listed as delayed or using remote instruction.
• Expect limited access to campus services on closure days; some central offices are operating on adjusted schedules.
• Meal pickup options are in place for Unicoi County students between 11 a. m. and 1 p. m. at two sites.
• Road conditions are likely to affect both morning and evening commutes; travel decisions should be made with caution.

The real question now is how quickly travel conditions improve and whether additional districts will change status; this will determine whether evening activities and the next school day follow a normal schedule or require further adjustments. A brief timeline of what's relevant: flurries began falling and temperatures dropped; accumulations up to 4 inches are expected with higher totals on the mountain peaks; districts issued closures or delays for Monday, Feb. 23.

The bigger signal here is the uneven nature of the system — localized heavy snow at higher elevations versus lighter flurries in some valleys — which means families should check their specific district status rather than assume regional uniformity.