School delayed and no sports or activities for 3 days straight just for cold weather?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This
‘ The following is an update concerning MCPS’s operating status for today, Wednesday, and Thursday this week. Plowing school lots and walkways and addressing overnight refreezing has been challenging due to the cold temperatures. MCPS central and school-based staff continue to work to get schools and offices ready to open daily, and maintenance problems are prioritized for repair to ensure heat, water, and electrical service is not impacted. ’

Clearly states why they are delaying school and tomorrow.

There is no overnight refreezing that needs to be addressed in the morning. And building maintenance is no different than if it was 20 degrees warmer. You don't open up a school without electricity, heat, or water.

20 degrees colder means that mechanical systems can respond differently. And 20 degrees colder also means that you even more energetically do not want to have to empty a building to the outdoors in response to a maintenance emergency. That happened at my kid's school once (HVAC leak in a school with lockers, and none of the kids wearing coats when they had to rush out). If the temps had been this cold that day, there would have been even more serious problems. So yes, maintenance is operating differently right now.

OMG this poster sounds almost as bad as the crazy covidians who wanted outdoor lunches and masking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This
‘ The following is an update concerning MCPS’s operating status for today, Wednesday, and Thursday this week. Plowing school lots and walkways and addressing overnight refreezing has been challenging due to the cold temperatures. MCPS central and school-based staff continue to work to get schools and offices ready to open daily, and maintenance problems are prioritized for repair to ensure heat, water, and electrical service is not impacted. ’

Clearly states why they are delaying school and tomorrow.

There is no overnight refreezing that needs to be addressed in the morning. And building maintenance is no different than if it was 20 degrees warmer. You don't open up a school without electricity, heat, or water.

20 degrees colder means that mechanical systems can respond differently. And 20 degrees colder also means that you even more energetically do not want to have to empty a building to the outdoors in response to a maintenance emergency. That happened at my kid's school once (HVAC leak in a school with lockers, and none of the kids wearing coats when they had to rush out). If the temps had been this cold that day, there would have been even more serious problems. So yes, maintenance is operating differently right now.

The relevant "mechanical systems" are indoors.

How do you think other states deal with winter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When MCPS doesn't allow childcare providers to operate, parents lose access to childcare they have already paid for and providers lose revenue from kids that drop in. MCPS should pay that money back since the decision is their fault. These decisions are a huge middle finger to working parents.

If you need to have reliable childcare that is not based on MCPS closings, maybe you should find a different provider than the one onsite at your school. You have agency here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When MCPS doesn't allow childcare providers to operate, parents lose access to childcare they have already paid for and providers lose revenue from kids that drop in. MCPS should pay that money back since the decision is their fault. These decisions are a huge middle finger to working parents.

If you need to have reliable childcare that is not based on MCPS closings, maybe you should find a different provider than the one onsite at your school. You have agency here.

Or we should all expect more competent leadership from the superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New arrivals and people with short memories don't know how the local community operates.

I remember MCPS closing for cold years ago. But apparently a lot of people don't.

For 0-5 degree temps and sub zero wind chills as the high got the day, yes.

It reached 24 degrees in today and never felt below zero, even this AM.

[Anonymous]

Let’s play guess the neighborhood by the comments

[Anonymous]

Man, I just don't understand this fury if your family is safe and comfortable. Snow days? Late start? Cancellations? Bring it on! More time to relax at home or sleep in a little. There's plenty of school when school is in session. The extracurriculars will survive and so will the learning and so will the students.

The concern in weather upheavals should be the families in genuine need, either because they lack important resources, have SN kids who need their programs, or have jobs that provide critical support for others. Everyone else should just let this ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sorry but this is getting out of hand. So many musicals, concerts, after school clubs, school events, sports just cancelled after missing so much time already.

Overall everyday feels like a fluff day and kids are out of sync.

We never had delays for cold weather. It’s not even that bad out. What are we doing here?!?

Chevy Chase

[Anonymous]

This is utterly pathetic. It’s winter. It’s cold sometimes. School and activities are nearly entire indoors. Wear a coat and gloves to the bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are safer in the warm schools. I don’t get the delays and kicking everyone out after school.

Takoma park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a bunch of whiners. It happens rarely. Just deal with it.

Not really. Just look at how many closures and delays there will be in January 2025 alone.

Sigh. It's called weather. MCPS has always closed for low temps, it's just that we don't have them every year, on a school day.

I am posting with years of experience as an MCPS parent. School districts in this area, including MCPS, generally err on the side of caution. Some districts are smaller and don't have buses or parking lots (DCPS) and can stay open. Some are large and deal with a ton of terrain and snow/ice variability (MCPS and FCPS) and need to close even when a good number of school properties are perfectly fine.

Now you know this! In five years, when we have the exact same scenario, there is a minuscule but non-negligible change you might even remember it!!!

And you'll be telling some other irate, dumbass parent who has kittens all over DCUM, exactly what I've told you.

They never closed for cold weather. A few years ago they did for a polar vortex. But before that, no. Before Covid, no. When I was a kid in MCPS. Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, its an issue when roads are slick, buses struggle to run, kids have to walk home in the dark/ice/no sidewalks.

Practical person: silver spring south of 495

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax and enjoy your family and free time.

Some of us have jobs, Deborah.

Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This
‘ The following is an update concerning MCPS’s operating status for today, Wednesday, and Thursday this week. Plowing school lots and walkways and addressing overnight refreezing has been challenging due to the cold temperatures. MCPS central and school-based staff continue to work to get schools and offices ready to open daily, and maintenance problems are prioritized for repair to ensure heat, water, and electrical service is not impacted. ’

Clearly states why they are delaying school and tomorrow.

There is no overnight refreezing that needs to be addressed in the morning. And building maintenance is no different than if it was 20 degrees warmer. You don't open up a school without electricity, heat, or water.

20 degrees colder means that mechanical systems can respond differently. And 20 degrees colder also means that you even more energetically do not want to have to empty a building to the outdoors in response to a maintenance emergency. That happened at my kid's school once (HVAC leak in a school with lockers, and none of the kids wearing coats when they had to rush out). If the temps had been this cold that day, there would have been even more serious problems. So yes, maintenance is operating differently right now.

The relevant "mechanical systems" are indoors.

How do you think other states deal with winter?

But needing to rush out of a building in December is different in Fargo than it is in Florida. It's more important right now that situations like that be prevented.

And buildings and systems are built for the climates they are in, not for occasional radical changes in said climate that are rare and dramatic. That's why the cold snap in Texas a few years ago had such dramatic and dangerous impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad about the activities, but just the 2 hour school delay is completely ridiculous… there is zero reason, the roads are fine.

Chevy Chase; the part that pays for private snow clearance