MCPS closed for the day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in Brookeville near the border of Olney, which is close to upper MoCo, and our streets are clear and dry. We live on a cul de sac, so it's not like we live on a major road.

So, where are these dangerous road conditions?

My husband drove to DC from Gaithersburg this morning and said some secondary roads were icy. It's not the snow, it's the icy conditions. Even Howard and PG are closed.

[Anonymous]

Do we lose a day of spring break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we lose a day of spring break?

I think this is our last free day. The next one eats up one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we lose a day of spring break?

Not yet!

We have only had two days off so far? I think?

[Anonymous]

I thought we had one more free day and then we start adding at June 13th?

[Anonymous]

I feel bad for teachers and staff if the next snow day eats into spring break. Families of students with travel plans aren’t going to change those plans; they’ll just put their kids down for a sick day or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of you seem to forget that there was a bus that slipped on the side of the road last week. No one hurt but imagine if that was your child in there. You would've freaked out. That's why. Highways are fine, school buses drive on neighborhood street. If you haven't walked outside yet and feel that some spots are slippery.

I understand that you need to get to work. I hate missing so much work too but I guess there were some buses that went out and realized it was not good enough to drive in.

That bus driver was traveling too fast and failed to slow for the turn. It was 100% preventable and 100% driver error.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for teachers and staff if the next snow day eats into spring break. Families of students with travel plans aren’t going to change those plans; they’ll just put their kids down for a sick day or two.

And? That's not the end of the world. Teachers and staff can use a sick day too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I drove to work from Olney to DC in my puny Honda Civic and it was fine. Took me about 10 minutes longer than usual but that’s it.

A full day closure was not necessary, IMO. Thankfully KAH is fantastic about being open and the kids like it.

I'm glad we're off. We're moving out of the county. So I'm using this day to pack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:EMERGENCY MESSAGE: 1/17/2018 at 7:11 AM -- Refresh page to update message
Urgent Update: Due to unsafe road conditions affecting school transportation, Montgomery County Public Schools is now closing schools today, January 17, 2018. Administrative offices are open on time. Day care programs in school buildings may remain open as scheduled.

My kid starts K next year. Does this mean before/aftercare would be open? Rachel Carson ES.

RCES uses Bar T for before/aftercare. Bar T usually follows administrative offices so they are usually open or open late.

Last week with the early closing, they were open until 5:30. Today they are open on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schedule so far for January
1/1-Holiday
1/2-Full Day
1/3-Full Day
1/4-Closed for Snow
1/5-2 hr Delay
1/8-Early Release
1/9-2 hr Delay
1/10-Full Day
1/11-Full Day
1/12-Full Day
1/15-Holiday
1/16-Full Day
1/17-Closed for Snow

Not to mention next week is early release on 1/25 and closed on 1/26.

So teachers are your daycare providers?

Give me a break. It's ridiculous to cancel every time there is a flurry. Driving in an inch or two of snow--even if roads are not "cleared"--is not unsafe!!

And SAHMs of elementary kids need to get a clue. Once you have kids in MS/HS, you'll appreciate how disruptive these cancellations are.

Huh? Snow days are a godsend for MS and HS kids. And they can take care of themselves!

+1. My high school kids can catch up on sleep, homework, and relax for a day. All of this without missing instruction. My kids benefit from the occasional snow day. I was less happy with snow days when they were younger. No work for parents, the kids wanted entertained all day, and whining.

Well, my MS kid needs to do makeups, check in w/teachers about a missing assignment etc. Their free period to do that is eliminated on early release/delayed start days. Plus two days off. He needed to do well on his remaining tests, etc, which is harder with missing instruction time. There are only 5 school days left before the end of the quarter. It's logistically easier for me but academically much of a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Huh? Snow days are a godsend for MS and HS kids. And they can take care of themselves!

+1. My high school kids can catch up on sleep, homework, and relax for a day. All of this without missing instruction. My kids benefit from the occasional snow day. I was less happy with snow days when they were younger. No work for parents, the kids wanted entertained all day, and whining.

I am so happy for my MS kid. Also, Winter is the time to hibernate. I would love shorter summer breaks. Shorten the summer break by a week or two and see achievement soar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I drove to work from Olney to DC in my puny Honda Civic and it was fine. Took me about 10 minutes longer than usual but that’s it.

A full day closure was not necessary, IMO. Thankfully KAH is fantastic about being open and the kids like it.

Well good for you and Olney. MCPS includes a lot more than Olney though so...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That bus driver was traveling too fast and failed to slow for the turn. It was 100% preventable and 100% driver error.

Were you there? Otherwise, I'm wondering how you know.

Also, if the road conditions are only safe if 100% of the drivers do everything 100% perfectly, then the road conditions are not safe. Because we know that they won't. Drivers are humans, and humans don't do anything 100% perfectly 100% of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you MCPS.

We will continue to have odd weather patterns because we have fucked up our planet so much, but I digress. Jan and Feb tend to be colder than Nov and Dec.

MCPS needs to factor this in when they make the school calendar. We need school year to be expanded, shorten the summer break, open schools in August, and understand that the schools will have to close when unsafe weather conditions exist.

My children are beyond happy that school is closed. They will probably sleep in till 10 or 11 am. It is wonderful!!

School is not daycare. People are complaining because they are inconvenienced, not because their students are not learning.

Wow. Yippee for your privileged kids with a SAHM or nanny! Glad they can sleep in! (Apparently you don't care that they aren't learning.)

Most of us have jobs that involve schlepping to an office, so we are forced to either take off or scramble to find child care. Some parents don't have the luxury of paid leave.