Decatur County Schools Closed for Remainder of Week Due to Winter Weather

Decatur County Schools announced via a live feed post from Dr. Amanda Creasy that "Due to current weather conditions, Decatur County Schools will be closed for the remainder of the week, Wednesday, January 28 through Friday, January 30. Conditions will continue to be monitored, and a decision regardin", the post is truncated after that line. The multi-day closure affected in-person instruction and district operations across the county while officials monitored roads, temperatures, and power risks.

The district also posted a separate personnel statement saying: "The Decatur County School System was notified by the Decatur County Sheriff's Office that criminal charges have been filed against a district employee. The employee was placed on immediate administrative leave and is prohibited from all campuses and from contact with students and staff. The employee will remain on leave while law enforcement proceeds with the investigation." The statement continued: "The district is cooperating fully with the Sheriff's Office and is conducting its own review consistent with state law and district policy. Because this is an active criminal matter and due to confidentiality laws, we cannot share additional details. Questions about the criminal case should be directed to the 24th Judicial District Attorney's Office." The district added: "Our focus at this time is on the safety of our students, staff, and school community. Support will be available for any students or staff who may need assistance at this time."

Local services were also disrupted. WTRE reported that the Greensburg Decatur County Public Library opened at 11:00 a.m., the Westport Branch opened at noon, and the bookmobile "will not be running the rest of the week." WTRE added that the Greensburg Adult Center was closed Wednesday and that the Greensburg Decatur County Public Library Board of Trustees meeting was cancelled. The City of Greensburg suspended trash service "for rest of week," WTRE said. WTRE also reported that Greensburg Community Schools was on an e-learning day Wednesday, January 27, and that St. Mary’s School had e-learning for Wednesday, January 28.

Regional weather context underscored the closures. Decaturish noted a county cold-weather advisory and cited National Weather Service guidance that cold wind chills ranging from -4 to 15 degrees were predicted and advised residents to "avoid prolonged exposure if possible and have a safe heating source, particularly for those may be experiencing power outages." Patch highlighted NWS concerns that below-freezing temperatures could prevent ice from melting quickly and could "create days-long power outages."

City Schools of Decatur acted separately: Decaturish reported that City Schools of Decatur would resume normal operations on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, a distinct jurisdiction from Decatur County Schools. The county and multiple neighboring districts were making decisions independently based on forecasts and road crews' ability to treat routes.

The district continued routine communications alongside the emergency notices, posting an employee spotlight: "Decatur County Schools is incredibly grateful for Ms. Jill Farlow’s leadership, passion, and unwavering commitment to students and the community. She is the very definition of lifelong learning and a true treasure to our district." A calendar update signed "-ACREASY" reminded families there would be "NO SCHOOL on Monday, December 22nd" and that students were expected back on Monday, January 5, 2026.

For now, families should follow Decatur County Schools' official channels for updates on when classes and services will resume, and direct questions about the criminal matter to the 24th Judicial District Attorney's Office as the district advised. With freezing temperatures and the potential for extended outages, the National Weather Service guidance and local notices indicate that monitoring conditions for safety and utility impacts remains the immediate priority.