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Typically after winter weather events, school divisions make decisions day by day, and announce their plans the day or evening prior. But Interim Superintendent Shawn Joseph said that early this week, it became clear that the cleanup would take many days, leading to the decision to close schools for multiple days.
Nearby Montgomery County Public Schools made a similar move, canceling Wednesday and Thursday classes on Tuesday afternoon.
“By the end of that first day, we just knew with 200 schools that needed to be cleared, as well as the county’s primary and secondary roads in the neighborhoods, and most importantly, thinking about the 30,000 to 40,000 students that we have that walk to schools, we just knew at a minimum it was going to be through Thursday,” Joseph told WTOP.
“So we said, we might as well inform the community, so that way they can plan properly.”
When making decisions on whether to close, Joseph said the school district evaluates whether neighborhood streets are clean enough for buses to safely navigate. It also considers whether walkways are safe for students to walk to school, and whether teachers and other school staff are able to safely get to work.
There are daily calls with the Prince George’s County executive and other teams, Joseph said, and he regularly receives updates from building leaders regarding how much snow has been cleared from campuses. Drivers survey neighborhoods at about 4 a.m., Joseph said, and this year, they’re taking pictures to document road conditions.
“You might be in Northern Prince George’s County and say, ‘Well, my streets are clean, I don’t know why they’re keeping school out,’” Joseph said. “Well, because in Accokeek, it might be a situation where there are a lot of unsafe environments. The decision, it’s an all-or-nothing decision. It’s high stakes every time.”
Some parents have shared that the early closing announcement reduced anxiety and helped them make necessary arrangements, Joseph said.
“I can remember when I was a teacher, when I was a principal, waiting for the call every day, and … it’s like you couldn’t rest until you just knew, do I have to go in? Do I not need to go in?” he said.
Moving forward, if there are large storms that may require multiple days of cleanup, Joseph said it will be the county’s new normal to communicate and make several days’ worth of cancellation announcements at once.
“We’re committed to trying to communicate better and trying to help families plan better,” the interim superintendent said. “We might not be able to have all the answers, but we’ll communicate what we know.”