Days after winter storm, some Virginia, Maryland schools remain closed

WASHINGTON - Some schools across the DMV will remain closed Thursday, while others will operate on a delayed schedule.

Loudoun County Public Schools announced Wednesday, schools will operate on a two-hour delay Thursday while administrative offices are opening on time. Culpepper County Public Schools will be closed for the rest of the week.

Montgomery County Public Schools remain closed Wednesday for a third day in a row following the snow storm overnight Monday. A spokesperson explains there are a number of factors that were considered including secondary road plowing, secondary road refreeze, conditions of parking lots and walkways, and bus stops.

At the time of decision-making, about half of the county’s schools needed treatment on parking lots and crews have been working on recovery. One end of the county may look very different from another, school district officials explain.

MCPS parent Missy Martin said it was a bit surprising to see schools closed again Wednesday.

"I have been out the last two days and like yesterday, I could see it. Today, I don’t really see the need today," Martin said. "I did see one or two roads coming here [Poolesville] that they were a little bit not as clean but still I feel like they could have gone to school, but I like having my child home for another day. So, it’s okay with me."

School closures, delays for DC, Maryland, Virginia for Thursday, January 9

Most parents FOX 5 spoke with said they understood the decision to close.

"It’s Montgomery County, everything is just a crapshoot," one parent said. "So, part of me is like, they don’t look that bad but you only need a couple of schools with bad sidewalks to make that call right?"

MCPS parent Shadi Akhada of Potomac said she was not surprised students were not back yet. 

"It’s easy to see from here, our perspective but Montgomery County is huge, right? If there are some sidewalks that are icy, we definitely want kids to stay safe," Akhada said. "It’s also been a minute, like to be fair, it’s been a minute since we have had snow this intense."

Jackie Oberst works from home and said she had more flexibility with childcare and snow days due to her job.

"We are fortunate that way but I have heard from other mom friends who working outside the house that they’re frustrated," Oberst said. "Even as a stay-at-home, work-from-home mom, they need to go. It’s enough time."

She also questioned preparedness.

"I think the county was a little slow in removing the snow from the side streets, especially because it took days from our street to be plowed," she said.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said he was surprised schools in the county were closed. FOX 5 asked if he thought the district made the right call.

"I’d want to hear what they saw on the ground that made them feel like they couldn’t do it. Did they actually go out and survey neighborhoods and see, no there’s no real way to walk right now? Certainly, if the kids can’t use the sidewalks, you don’t want to push them to streets that have already been narrowed by the snow," Elrich responded.

FULL LIST: Closings and delays

FOX 5 reached out to some of the largest school districts in the DMV on their decisions to close or reopen schools. Here are their responses:

Arlington County Public Schools:

"Safety remains our top priority as we determine the operating status of our schools. Our crews have been hard at work since Monday morning, however, persistent cold temperatures have impacted our ability to clear all school sites, parking lots and walkways of snow and ice. In addition, there are a number of sidewalks and secondary roads throughout the county that have not been cleared and/or are icy. This poses a safety hazard to students who walk to and from school and to bus stops.

Falls Church City Public Schools:

"While Falls Church City roads have improved significantly thanks to public works' clearing efforts, the majority of our teachers and staff commute from throughout the DC metro region, where conditions still vary considerably. These regional road conditions, particularly on secondary and neighborhood streets in surrounding counties, continue to impact safe travel for many of our employees.

Our facilities team has worked continuously to clear school grounds, parking lots, and walkways. However, we must consider the entire journey our staff and students take to reach our buildings safely." 

Alexandria City Public Schools sent the following letter, which reads in part:

"Throughout the day, we have been monitoring road conditions, and we are aware that some roads are not completely cleared around the region. We continue to be concerned about the safety of staff and students. We also know that staff travel from around the region to and from school buildings and may be unable to travel safely to work tomorrow. As a result, all ACPS schools and offices will be closed for in-person learning and activities on January 8, 2025. 

Please note that staff will participate in a virtual workday, dependent on work assignments and locations. Supervisors will confirm with staff about the work expectations. 

Class times will include virtual teacher-led office hours and asynchronous instruction times. Asynchronous learning happens when students learn the same material but at different times and locations without live instruction."

Fairfax County Public Schools referred us to this letter from the superintendent: https://www.fcps.edu/news/message-superintendent-reid-regarding-fcps-status-wednesday-january-8-2025-schools-closed