Should MCPS announce a closure for tomorrow (Tuesday) due to the forecast?

[Anonymous]

For many families, as someone else noted, it is not a matter of just calling in absent, one can lose their job, and arranging a babysitter or alternative care the night before is much easier than at 6 am. It is the school's responsibility to make the decisions responsibly and today they totally botched it -- at 4:30 am it was clear that the temperatures would be warm enough so it would not be ice in the morning, at least for most of the district. A two-hour delay would have worked fine for the entire district and if you wait til 4:30 in the morning you should use the information you collect along the way. Now the problem is because they botched it today they may make the opposite mistake tomorrow since it can be problematic to have two snow days before Dec. 10th, but tomorrow we actually might do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the problem with waiting until the early morning? Why must people know now? Just make a plan A and a Plan B for tomorrow. Too many freakin control freaks around here.

Well crew and swim practice start at 0530, so it would be nice to know before we leave and head out into the snow. That's kind of the point.

[Anonymous]

They really can't make a call based on the nothing that's happening right now (315am - up w the baby!) forecasts have changed too many times. Annoying but no real alternative.

[Anonymous]

Montgomery County Public Schools and all administrative offices are closed today due to emergency weather conditions. All school and community activities in school buildings are canceled.

EMERGENCY MESSAGE: 12/10/2013 at 4:30 AM --

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For many families, as someone else noted, it is not a matter of just calling in absent, one can lose their job, and arranging a babysitter or alternative care the night before is much easier than at 6 am. It is the school's responsibility to make the decisions responsibly and today they totally botched it -- at 4:30 am it was clear that the temperatures would be warm enough so it would not be ice in the morning, at least for most of the district. A two-hour delay would have worked fine for the entire district and if you wait til 4:30 in the morning you should use the information you collect along the way. Now the problem is because they botched it today they may make the opposite mistake tomorrow since it can be problematic to have two snow days before Dec. 10th, but tomorrow we actually might do it.

We had ice. In fact, we still had ice at 8:30 am yesterday, which is when the high school bus would come with a two-hour delay. It sure looks to me like MCPS used the information they collected along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the problem with waiting until the early morning? Why must people know now? Just make a plan A and a Plan B for tomorrow. Too many freakin control freaks around here.

Well crew and swim practice start at 0530, so it would be nice to know before we leave and head out into the snow. That's kind of the point.

MCPS announced at 4:30. That doesn't give you enough time?

[Anonymous]

The criticism is about Monday not today. I saw the text come out at 4:52 on Monday. Conditions had not changed since midnight. MCPS screwed up on Monday though the idiots in MCPS think they can do no wrong...

Today, it is more logical that the closure notes came in the morning not the night before as the storm has not hit yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The criticism is about Monday not today. I saw the text come out at 4:52 on Monday. Conditions had not changed since midnight. MCPS screwed up on Monday though the idiots in MCPS think they can do no wrong...

Today, it is more logical that the closure notes came in the morning not the night before as the storm has not hit yet.

And you know this because...?

[Anonymous]

MCPS should announce closure this morning--today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The criticism is about Monday not today. I saw the text come out at 4:52 on Monday. Conditions had not changed since midnight. MCPS screwed up on Monday though the idiots in MCPS think they can do no wrong...

Today, it is more logical that the closure notes came in the morning not the night before as the storm has not hit yet.

I was still getting freezing rain until at least 2am early Monday morning up in the northern part of Rockville.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps but by 4:30 it was over and clear the morning temperatures would rise, allowing for a two-hour delay like all of the other nearby jurisdictions. We could have school until July if they close for every possible ice/snow/rain event. Everyone is closed today but the snow is pretty modest and very easy to clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps but by 4:30 it was over and clear the morning temperatures would rise, allowing for a two-hour delay like all of the other nearby jurisdictions. We could have school until July if they close for every possible ice/snow/rain event. Everyone is closed today but the snow is pretty modest and very easy to clear.

By 9:25 am, which is when high schools would start on a delay, it was still below freezing in our neck of the woods, which is an area in Mo Co that borders Ho Co.

Why don't people understand basic geography? Mo Co is literally all over the MD map!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps but by 4:30 it was over and clear the morning temperatures would rise, allowing for a two-hour delay like all of the other nearby jurisdictions. We could have school until July if they close for every possible ice/snow/rain event. Everyone is closed today but the snow is pretty modest and very easy to clear.

At 8:30 am this morning, which is when the high school buses would be running with a two-hour delay, it was snowing hard here. Perhaps you think MCPS should have had a four-hour delay?

[Anonymous]

Monday's late announcement was just MCPS being incompetent.

For today, they had no choice because of the size of the county. There are so many problems that could be resolved if MCPS was split up. This would solve many, many problems. The size of the system only benefits those working in the system. It doesn't benefit the students or the taxpayers.

1. The organization is too big for the type of low caliber employees and leaders that run it. They can't handle an organization this size but might be OK with smaller systems.
2. Local resources would be better spent.
3. Transparency would be easier to achieve rather than the wall of secrecy and no one knows is steering the ship stuff. There could be accountability.
4. Snow closures would be more logical.
5. Budgeting would be clearer.
6. You could end the constant central office blaming the teachers or local schools for their screw ups. A smaller system can't play these games.
7. Communities would be more engaged with the school system. Right now, people like their home school and hate MCPS.
8. Policies would reflect the needs of the actual students.