PSD closing schools Dec. 12 for championship game

♦ Rockmart set to make trip to Mercedes-Benz stadium, pre-sale tickets available now for $22

Football fans will soon be packing up for a trip to Atlanta to watch the undefeated Rockmart Yellow Jackets play in the state championship game. Yet with the game scheduled for the middle of the day during the school week, how can students enjoy the game too?

Well, the Polk School District has stepped in as of Saturday morning and decided that schools across Polk County will be closed on Wednesday, December 12 to accommodate the game being played at 1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of this coming weekend, when it would have been scheduled if not for Atlanta United’s finale being a home game too.

Georgia High School Athletic Association officials made the call to change the dates and push back five days before Rockmart’s semifinal win last Friday night over Callaway, and that prompted the closure of school.

Superintendent Laurie Atkins sent out a statement on Saturday morning that it would not be a day that students have to make up either, since the school district hasn’t yet been forced to close for any weatherrelated issues in the 2018-19 school year.

“Therefore, we feel that cancelling school on Wednesday is our best option,” Atkins said in the statement. “This allows us to provide the supervision needed for travel and for the stadium event.”

Polk School District will be utilizing buses for the trip to the championship game, and would also have problems getting substitute teachers to cover for coaches who would be participating in the game.

She added in her statement it gives everyone a chance to enjoy watching Rockmart play against Heard County in the Dec. 12 rematch between the two teams.

The two teams played earlier in the season, but the game was called at halftime for a Rockmart win after a lightning delay forced both teams back into the locker room.

Atkins did say in the statement the district does give its apologies for anyone who experiences hardship over the decision.

“It is the desire of the district to notify everyone early in order to make plans for all children,” she said.

Her statement ended with heartfelt hopes for Rockmart in the coming days as they prepare for their historic state title game, the first since the 1950s.

“As you take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, take in the entire experience,” the statement read. “You have attained what every high school team in the state dreams to achieve. Your community is behind you and will be rooting you on to victory.”

Those who want to know more about ticket sales for the forthcoming game can get pre-sale tickets at $22 starting on Monday through the high school, and they are $30 the day of at the stadium. Call the school at 770-684-5432 for more.

They are also available at Raceway in Rockmart, City Body, Rockmart Florist and Whiteheads Florist.