Contributed photoConnor Priest, a freshman at Coahulla Creek High School, dedicated a song to Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Judy Gilreath thanking her for closing school due to inclement weather. 

DALTON, Ga. — “Memaw, you’re trending,” Avery Frost, 13, told her grandmother, Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Judy Gilreath, on Wednesday.

Gilreath said she was unaware what trending meant and asked her, “Is that a good thing?”

Indeed it was, in this instance. Trending is when a person or subject becomes a hot topic on social media in a short amount of time.

Gilreath began trending Monday evening after she sent a voicemail message to parents about cancelling school Tuesday due to inclement weather.

To the tune of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Gilreath sang, “Crazy, this weather is driving me crazy, wondering what in the world should I do about school. Watching, I just can’t quit watching the forecast, hoping they will say this bad weather won’t last … So parents, students and all of our teachers, I think for tomorrow, though it brings me such sorrow to say, tomorrow we’re cancelling school.”

School was also canceled Wednesday and Thursday.

Gilreath video

Gilreath’s message has been reported on by media outlets in Atlanta and Chattanooga. She said she was surprised how fast it spread.

“It’s amazing that something so silly could spread,” Gilreath said Thursday.

Gilreath said she sang on a voicemail about three years ago when students were out for nearly a week.

“I was going stir crazy and said I’ll just do it on a whim,” she said.

Gilreath said people kept asking her to do another.

“I was going crazy again and thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “You gotta have fun when you work with kids.”

Connor Priest, a freshman at Coahulla Creek High School, said he appreciates Gilreath’s version of the song — and the days off. On Wednesday he posted to his Facebook page, “Judy, Judy, Judy, I love you so much” in response to having a second day out of school. His friend Ryan Hulsey saw the post and encouraged him to do a song to the tune of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”

Priest, an aspiring singer, said he thought that was a good idea. He spent much of the day Wednesday writing lyrics and recording a video.

“Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy, I’m begging of you please cancel school. Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy, but please don’t shorten summer cause you can. I sure do love the song you sing when you call to say no school for me … If I didn’t have this snow day I wouldn’t have the time to play this sweet song for you, Judy.”

Priest said he recorded the vocals on his computer and mixed it. He then recorded footage of the snow outside. After that he lip synced to the vocals while playing the guitar.

“I did everything myself, it took about five hours,” he said.

By Thursday afternoon Priest’s video had been shared close to 300 times on Facebook and viewed more than 5,000 times. Priest said he made the video to thank Gilreath for the days off and hoping she’d cancel school today, too. The video can be viewed at https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2013729602246038&id=100008270528319.

Gilreath said someone sent the video to her on Thursday.

“The video was cute,” she said. “I’ve heard him sing before and think he has a really good voice. It’s very mature.”

Gilreath said school will be back in session today at the normal times.

“I was ready to go back after the first day,” she said.

Gilreath said the decision to cancel school is one she doesn’t take lightly.

“I like to give parents plenty of time to make arrangements for their children,” she said. “I try to let them know the night before.”

Gilreath said she realizes she can’t please everyone.

“Sometimes I rush and make the wrong decision and nothing happens,” she said. “I’d still rather miss a day of school and have the kids and teachers safe.”

Connor Priest’s video can be viewed at https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2013729602246038&id=100008270528319.