Schools closed for students Monday Feb 2

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

Teachers didn't choose to be off, so this is silly to say they are getting paid vacation. Some teachers ARE working.

And some teachers ARE skiing with their families because they weren’t required to be in a classroom. It’s silly to say last week was a work week for MCPS teachers when every communication said it was “Code Red.”

OK and? If all their grading was done and they planned for the next few weeks, then what else do you want them to do. I cannot imagine that many were skiing as it took a few days to even get out...were you skiing?

No, I was at the hospital I work at because unlike schools, we don’t have the luxury of closing when the weather is bad.

DP. Oh well. That’s your job, isn’t it? Are you expecting a medal?

You aren’t getting one, you know.

We’ve been skiing three days this week.

So, you are skiing so you think everyone else is? No!

Of course not. Everyone else has been helplessly trapped in their homes for a week.

You need to get out more. It’s been six days since the storm ended. Anything private sector has been open for a while now. Because if they don’t open, they don’t get paid.

Not acc to the MCPS forum. Streets are blocked, sidewalks and intersections are unsafe. Kids cannot walk. Parents are incapable of getting their kids to school.

I have been taking my kids to private activities since Tuesday and they’re packed with kids. Way more crowded than normal.

The hilly parks are packed with kids sledding. People with kids don’t have the luxury of hibernating til the ice goes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not rocket science. Modify the bus routes to the major roads. Parents can drop their kids off at the bus stop on a major road or directly at school. The county cannot close schools for weeks because of cold temperatures that prevent snow melting. It is a disgrace that anyone thinks this is normal. One week was enough. Now let parents get their kid to school

I hate having to keep bringing this up but as a Special Educator we are supposed to follow the IEP in it's entirety and a lot of these IEPs call for door to school bus transportation. It doesn't say "End of the Block" to school transportation. You cannot also force these parents to bring their own student to and from school when it is federally protected. It may not seem like a big deal to you but there are 100s of educational advocates and lawyers that are probably salivating at the thought of this. I mean if you want MCPS to cut arts programs because they lost another 30M in federal lawsuits then go ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not rocket science. Modify the bus routes to the major roads. Parents can drop their kids off at the bus stop on a major road or directly at school. The county cannot close schools for weeks because of cold temperatures that prevent snow melting. It is a disgrace that anyone thinks this is normal. One week was enough. Now let parents get their kid to school

I hate having to keep bringing this up but as a Special Educator we are supposed to follow the IEP in it's entirety and a lot of these IEPs call for door to school bus transportation. It doesn't say "End of the Block" to school transportation. You cannot also force these parents to bring their own student to and from school when it is federally protected. It may not seem like a big deal to you but there are 100s of educational advocates and lawyers that are probably salivating at the thought of this. I mean if you want MCPS to cut arts programs because they lost another 30M in federal lawsuits then go ahead.

You know other school districts in Maryland, VA and DC opened last week. You know kids there have IEPs too. Thousands of schools opened virtually, but McPS couldn’t be bothered to submit a virtual schooling plan.

with McPS there’s always an excuse of “we caaaaaan’t.”

Let me play Taylor’s snow day video again and maybe I will feel better about my kids getting shortchanged by a lazy school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

I’ll remind you of that when you pull your kid out of school for a mid-year family vacation. You’re not as worried about “shortchanging” kids as you say you are when it doesn’t fit your narrative.

Yes sure. Because you know with certainty the family vacation patterns of a random Internet poster.

It may come as a surprise to you that lots of MCPS families can’t afford vacations and you’re shortchanging them most of all.

But I guess you find it much easier to blame families for being the reason MCPS won’t provide 180 days of instruction than to do the actual instruction…

I’m just saying that some parents consider it shortchanging during an extreme weather event that the COUNTY (not school system) can’t get under control but not shortchanging when that same child is missing school for a mid year vacation.

I know that many can’t afford vacations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

I’ll remind you of that when you pull your kid out of school for a mid-year family vacation. You’re not as worried about “shortchanging” kids as you say you are when it doesn’t fit your narrative.

Yes sure. Because you know with certainty the family vacation patterns of a random Internet poster.

It may come as a surprise to you that lots of MCPS families can’t afford vacations and you’re shortchanging them most of all.

But I guess you find it much easier to blame families for being the reason MCPS won’t provide 180 days of instruction than to do the actual instruction…

The last email from MCPS blames families for not adequately shoveling sidewalks. Sidewalks aren’t perfect in a lot of places there’s snow and schools still open. Why blame the people paid to operate schools when you can blame the parents of students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

Teachers didn't choose to be off, so this is silly to say they are getting paid vacation. Some teachers ARE working.

And some teachers ARE skiing with their families because they weren’t required to be in a classroom. It’s silly to say last week was a work week for MCPS teachers when every communication said it was “Code Red.”

OK and? If all their grading was done and they planned for the next few weeks, then what else do you want them to do. I cannot imagine that many were skiing as it took a few days to even get out...were you skiing?

No, I was at the hospital I work at because unlike schools, we don’t have the luxury of closing when the weather is bad.

DP. Oh well. That’s your job, isn’t it? Are you expecting a medal?

You aren’t getting one, you know.

We’ve been skiing three days this week.

So, you are skiing so you think everyone else is? No!

Of course not. Everyone else has been helplessly trapped in their homes for a week.

You need to get out more. It’s been six days since the storm ended. Anything private sector has been open for a while now. Because if they don’t open, they don’t get paid.

Not acc to the MCPS forum. Streets are blocked, sidewalks and intersections are unsafe. Kids cannot walk. Parents are incapable of getting their kids to school.

I have been taking my kids to private activities since Tuesday and they’re packed with kids. Way more crowded than normal.

The hilly parks are packed with kids sledding. People with kids don’t have the luxury of hibernating til the ice goes away.

No kidding. So why do so many posters say they simply cannot get their kids to school? Do you think they have been at home this whole time? Of course not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every job has it's positives and negatives.

Teaching has it's perks, snow days are one of them.

Teachers also have work that seems impossible to complete in their duty day (planning, grading, prepping lessons, documentation, parent contact, Behavior plans, IEP's... it goes on and on). Both are true.

The good thing is, anyone is welcome to become a teacher, if you want.

But back to the actual thread: The county's changed it to a code orange. I'm not sure why they thought they could make up a new type of day on the fly to begin with. It seems the powers that be do not like office workers to work when all staff is not called in, too. But again, that's just different roles and different perks. I think it'll be good to have offices open, maybe now I can actually get ahold of ERSC when I call!

I've seen posts on this thread and in some other chat groups referring to tomorrow being a Code Orange an schools have been changed to closed.

But when I look at the website it's the same message from 3:40 saying staff should try to carpool in.

Is there somewhere else saying the status tomorrow is Code Orange now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

Teachers didn't choose to be off, so this is silly to say they are getting paid vacation. Some teachers ARE working.

And some teachers ARE skiing with their families because they weren’t required to be in a classroom. It’s silly to say last week was a work week for MCPS teachers when every communication said it was “Code Red.”

OK and? If all their grading was done and they planned for the next few weeks, then what else do you want them to do. I cannot imagine that many were skiing as it took a few days to even get out...were you skiing?

No, I was at the hospital I work at because unlike schools, we don’t have the luxury of closing when the weather is bad.

DP. Oh well. That’s your job, isn’t it? Are you expecting a medal?

You aren’t getting one, you know.

We’ve been skiing three days this week.

So, you are skiing so you think everyone else is? No!

Of course not. Everyone else has been helplessly trapped in their homes for a week.

You need to get out more. It’s been six days since the storm ended. Anything private sector has been open for a while now. Because if they don’t open, they don’t get paid.

Not acc to the MCPS forum. Streets are blocked, sidewalks and intersections are unsafe. Kids cannot walk. Parents are incapable of getting their kids to school.

I have been taking my kids to private activities since Tuesday and they’re packed with kids. Way more crowded than normal.

The hilly parks are packed with kids sledding. People with kids don’t have the luxury of hibernating til the ice goes away.

No kidding. So why do so many posters say they simply cannot get their kids to school? Do you think they have been at home this whole time? Of course not.

The Rio was happening today and packed with school aged kids. This isn't April 2020. Everyone is out and about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not rocket science. Modify the bus routes to the major roads. Parents can drop their kids off at the bus stop on a major road or directly at school. The county cannot close schools for weeks because of cold temperatures that prevent snow melting. It is a disgrace that anyone thinks this is normal. One week was enough. Now let parents get their kid to school

I hate having to keep bringing this up but as a Special Educator we are supposed to follow the IEP in it's entirety and a lot of these IEPs call for door to school bus transportation. It doesn't say "End of the Block" to school transportation. You cannot also force these parents to bring their own student to and from school when it is federally protected. It may not seem like a big deal to you but there are 100s of educational advocates and lawyers that are probably salivating at the thought of this. I mean if you want MCPS to cut arts programs because they lost another 30M in federal lawsuits then go ahead.

Not all the parents can bring their kids to school, especially the special programs that aren't that close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers have someone made this a thread about what victims they are. Amazing

No, what happened is that people who hate teachers made wild blanket accusations and then some teachers shared what their lives are really like.

One day soon, no human being will be willing to do the job of teaching. It’ll all be computers/AI.

It’s this. And they don’t realize that the teachers they are gleefully tearing apart are the very people they want teaching their children. We’re the ones providing timely feedback, writing recommendations, creating engaging lessons, etc.

Yes we do want you teaching. But this year it looks like McPS will seek a waiver after reaching 177 days of instruction rather than 180, and add on some half days in end June where you aren’t expected to teach.

So you are getting an extra paid vacation in winter and our kids are shortchanged.

Teachers didn't choose to be off, so this is silly to say they are getting paid vacation. Some teachers ARE working.

And some teachers ARE skiing with their families because they weren’t required to be in a classroom. It’s silly to say last week was a work week for MCPS teachers when every communication said it was “Code Red.”

OK and? If all their grading was done and they planned for the next few weeks, then what else do you want them to do. I cannot imagine that many were skiing as it took a few days to even get out...were you skiing?

No, I was at the hospital I work at because unlike schools, we don’t have the luxury of closing when the weather is bad.

DP. Oh well. That’s your job, isn’t it? Are you expecting a medal?

You aren’t getting one, you know.

We’ve been skiing three days this week.

So, you are skiing so you think everyone else is? No!

Of course not. Everyone else has been helplessly trapped in their homes for a week.

You need to get out more. It’s been six days since the storm ended. Anything private sector has been open for a while now. Because if they don’t open, they don’t get paid.

Not acc to the MCPS forum. Streets are blocked, sidewalks and intersections are unsafe. Kids cannot walk. Parents are incapable of getting their kids to school.

I have been taking my kids to private activities since Tuesday and they’re packed with kids. Way more crowded than normal.

The hilly parks are packed with kids sledding. People with kids don’t have the luxury of hibernating til the ice goes away.

No kidding. So why do so many posters say they simply cannot get their kids to school? Do you think they have been at home this whole time? Of course not.

We only have one car that will work in this weather and are having to share it. One adult needed it for work some days. They could drop the kids off but not pick them up. They are hourly so no work, no pay. We aready went without pay for several days. Not sure how we are going to make it work for the rest of the week depending on how long the shut down lasts, again with no pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They found $800,000 to do background check screenings at the last minute. So clearly they can get their hands on emergency funds when they need it. Why didn't he tap those emergency funds to get additional supplies and/or contractors?

To be fair, the roads and sidewalks are not the school district's responsibility. The County Council should really be dealing with it. That doesn't mean Taylor is blame free, but it does once again beg the question of what the point of having a seprate BOE is if the County Council or the super is responsible for everything in reality.

Sure, the County Council is responsible for roads and sidewalks, but my understanding is that many MCPS parking lots and campuses were also behind on getting cleared and Taylor said it was because they were focused on working with the county.

The message said schools are ready, this sounds more like bus stops, busses getting through streets that have snow piled up on each side and walkways are the issue.

We cannot get to either bus stop and we don’t have sidewalks so we have to walk in the street.

So walk in the street. We do it in my neighborhood all the time...no sidewalks. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not rocket science. Modify the bus routes to the major roads. Parents can drop their kids off at the bus stop on a major road or directly at school. The county cannot close schools for weeks because of cold temperatures that prevent snow melting. It is a disgrace that anyone thinks this is normal. One week was enough. Now let parents get their kid to school

I hate having to keep bringing this up but as a Special Educator we are supposed to follow the IEP in it's entirety and a lot of these IEPs call for door to school bus transportation. It doesn't say "End of the Block" to school transportation. You cannot also force these parents to bring their own student to and from school when it is federally protected. It may not seem like a big deal to you but there are 100s of educational advocates and lawyers that are probably salivating at the thought of this. I mean if you want MCPS to cut arts programs because they lost another 30M in federal lawsuits then go ahead.

You know other school districts in Maryland, VA and DC opened last week. You know kids there have IEPs too. Thousands of schools opened virtually, but McPS couldn’t be bothered to submit a virtual schooling plan.

with McPS there’s always an excuse of “we caaaaaan’t.”

Let me play Taylor’s snow day video again and maybe I will feel better about my kids getting shortchanged by a lazy school district.

The issue isn't the virtual plan, it's the equipment. During the pandemic, MCPS sent home devices for every student, plus chargers and in many cases Mifi devices so kids had an internet connection. Now I believe only high school students bring Chromebooks home daily - my middle schooler only uses one during the day and does not bring it home. The elementary school I work at has all of the Chromebooks on carts, and there aren't enough spare chargers to send home for virtual learning.

Special educator PP, I appreciate you advocating for students like my own child - but sadly most parents on here don't care.

[Anonymous]

There are very few school districts that are completely closed tomorrow or not doing virtual learning. MCPS should be ashamed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/02/01/school-delays-dc-maryland-virginia-snow-storm/

Alexandria City Public Schools: Virtual learning
Anne Arundel County Public Schools: Two-hour delay Monday and Tuesday.
Arlington County Public Schools: Closed; two-hour delay Tuesday
Calvert County Public Schools: Two-hour delay
Charles County Public Schools: Two-hour delay
Culpeper County Public Schools: Two-hour delay
D.C. Public Schools: Two-hour delay
Fairfax County Public Schools: Closed
Falls Church City Public Schools: Two-hour delay
Fauquier County Public Schools: Closed
Howard County Public Schools: Two-hour delay Monday and Tuesday
Loudoun County Public Schools: Two-hour delay
Montgomery County Public Schools: Closed
Pr. George’s County Public Schools: Two-hour delay; Code Orange
Prince William County Public Schools: Closed
Spotsylvania County Public Schools: Remote learning Monday and Tuesday; 12-month employees to report on time.
Stafford County Public Schools: Closed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They found $800,000 to do background check screenings at the last minute. So clearly they can get their hands on emergency funds when they need it. Why didn't he tap those emergency funds to get additional supplies and/or contractors?

To be fair, the roads and sidewalks are not the school district's responsibility. The County Council should really be dealing with it. That doesn't mean Taylor is blame free, but it does once again beg the question of what the point of having a seprate BOE is if the County Council or the super is responsible for everything in reality.

Sure, the County Council is responsible for roads and sidewalks, but my understanding is that many MCPS parking lots and campuses were also behind on getting cleared and Taylor said it was because they were focused on working with the county.

The message said schools are ready, this sounds more like bus stops, busses getting through streets that have snow piled up on each side and walkways are the issue.

We cannot get to either bus stop and we don’t have sidewalks so we have to walk in the street.

So walk in the street. We do it in my neighborhood all the time...no sidewalks. Get over it.

My street is usually wide enough for two way traffic, making it reasonably safe for people to walk in the street when sidewalks drop or if that's their preference. For the last week, we've been a single car width wide. There is no way that's safe for kids getting to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not rocket science. Modify the bus routes to the major roads. Parents can drop their kids off at the bus stop on a major road or directly at school. The county cannot close schools for weeks because of cold temperatures that prevent snow melting. It is a disgrace that anyone thinks this is normal. One week was enough. Now let parents get their kid to school

I hate having to keep bringing this up but as a Special Educator we are supposed to follow the IEP in it's entirety and a lot of these IEPs call for door to school bus transportation. It doesn't say "End of the Block" to school transportation. You cannot also force these parents to bring their own student to and from school when it is federally protected. It may not seem like a big deal to you but there are 100s of educational advocates and lawyers that are probably salivating at the thought of this. I mean if you want MCPS to cut arts programs because they lost another 30M in federal lawsuits then go ahead.

You know other school districts in Maryland, VA and DC opened last week. You know kids there have IEPs too. Thousands of schools opened virtually, but McPS couldn’t be bothered to submit a virtual schooling plan.

with McPS there’s always an excuse of “we caaaaaan’t.”

Let me play Taylor’s snow day video again and maybe I will feel better about my kids getting shortchanged by a lazy school district.

The issue isn't the virtual plan, it's the equipment. During the pandemic, MCPS sent home devices for every student, plus chargers and in many cases Mifi devices so kids had an internet connection. Now I believe only high school students bring Chromebooks home daily - my middle schooler only uses one during the day and does not bring it home. The elementary school I work at has all of the Chromebooks on carts, and there aren't enough spare chargers to send home for virtual learning.

Special educator PP, I appreciate you advocating for students like my own child - but sadly most parents on here don't care.

Most MS and HS kids have their Chromebooks with them at all times. I'm only aware of Pyle MS that has moved to the cart model, but maybe there are more. In any case, MCPS should have made sure Chromebooks went home with kids on Friday, rather than sitting in carts. There was ample warning that this storm would be big.

As for the younger ones, Alexandria Public Schools started virtual learning last Wednesday for Grades 4+. At this rate, MCPS students aren't going to get 180 days of school anyway. I would much rather than most kids get an education even if the younger ones are shortchanged. Better that 85% of kids get an education than 0% (and I say that as a parent of an elementary school kid without a Chromebook--why should older kids miss out completely when they have the tools to learn?).