Emergency Information

Emergency School Closings

The safety of Thomaston-Upson School System's students and employees is of primary concern when making the decision to close school due to inclement weather conditions. When severe weather threatens our community, school system administrators work closely with local emergency management officials and monitor reports from the Upson County and GA Emergency Management Agencies and the National Weather Service.

Who makes the decision?

If severe weather or any other emergency situation requires the closing of Thomaston-Upson Schools, the Superintendent will make the decision based on information gathered from emergency management personnel, city and county officials, local law enforcement, and the GA DOT.

When do they make the decision?

The decision to close school is made as early as possible so that the information may reach parents and guardians in a timely manner.  

How will I know about a school closing?

The news media will be notified as soon as the decision to close is made, and parents, guardians, and school system employees will be notified of the closing by receipt of a phone call from the school system's automated call system.  Therefore, it is extremely important that parents and guardians have a current home phone number or personal cell phone number on file with the school(s). It is also very important that you answer your phone if you suspect that the school may be calling to report a school closing, since the automated system may not leave a complete message on your phone's answering machine. Parents may also monitor the media outlets for information on school closings. In addition to the media, the Thomaston Police Department, the Upson County Sheriff's Department, and the Georgia State Patrol will be notified of school closings.

Parents may also access information about school closings on the Thomaston-Upson School System website and on T-U Schools social media sites. (To follow T-U Schools on social media, click the facebook or twitter buttons at the top of this page.)

The following is a list of all media notified by the Thomaston-Upson School System in the event of an emergency closing:
Local Media - WTGA Fun 101 FM, The Upson Beacon
Regional Media - Fox 5/WAGA, 11 Alive/WXIA, 2/WSB, Star 94FM

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Planning Ahead for Emergency School Closings - Tips for Parents

Arrange for alternate child care ahead of time. Have a responsible adult (relative, friend, or neighbor) who is willing to help out during a weather emergency.
Make sure your home phone number and emergency contact numbers are up to date on your child's school records. Add cell phone numbers to your child's records if they are not already there.

If you will be allowing your child to be at home by himself, discuss safety measures and leave phone numbers where he can get in touch with you and/or a responsible neighbor.
In case of power outages: If a land line phone number is on record at your child's school, make sure you have one phone that plugs into the phone line (not portable/ electrical phones that plug into electrical outlets). If a cell phone is on record at your child's school, keep cell phones charged and turned on.

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T-U Tornado Watch/Warning Protocol:
The following procedures for student release will be followed by all Thomaston-Upson Schools in the event of a Tornado Watch or Warning:

Watch:
Students may be checked out or picked up at school during a Tornado Watch.

Warning:
Due to safety concerns for students and staff, students may not be checked out or picked up at school during a Tornado Warning.

If a Tornado Warning occurs during release time on a school day, students will be held at school until it is deemed safe by the National Weather Service or the Georgia Emergency Management Association.