MCPS closing/delaying on Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

I'll be shocked if school opens thursday.

Agree MCPS needs to build in more snow days to begin with. Seems like they try to have it both ways- say they don't have the resources/capability to clear parking lots, etc. but the schedule doesn't redlect that.

Except the parking lots are already cleared.

[Anonymous]

WHY Can't Maryland change to 1000 HOURS requirements instant of 180 days? It work for VIRGINIA SCHOOLS

[Anonymous]

Folks in the rural upcounty parts of MoCo- how are your roads?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WHY Can't Maryland change to 1000 HOURS requirements instant of 180 days? It work for VIRGINIA SCHOOLS

Good question. I’m a teacher and have wondered this before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

+1 I've lived in upstate NY. When I was there, the roads were basically covered in snow for weeks at a time. People drove on the snow. And not all in SUVs. It was fine. You just drive slowly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I am loving about this thread is that it shows MCPS cannot please everyone. We have people complaining that the school is closed, that there is not virtual option, and kids are missing a day of school work. And we have people complaining that teachers emails work assignments to students on a snow day—“contact the principal” someone suggested.

DCUM posters never fail to disappoint.

The consensus from parents seems to be that schools should quickly schedule a meaningful make-up day that occurs as soon as possible.

Really? OK, try getting a consensus on when the make up day should be. It is always the same. People complaining that the way things are being done is wrong, but so solutions offered.

We already picked the days. If people don't like them, take it up on next year's calendar. 1/29 is the obvious choice.

When is the final grading and report card stuff supposed to happen? Do you have an answer for that? MCPS knows that teachers do real work on 1/29. If they make it a school day, schools will probably house kids in the auditorium and show movies so teachers can get their shit done. That might be just fine with some folks who are looking for free babysitting

From a supervision standpoint, I don’t think middle schools will do that, but individual teachers may need to show movies in their classrooms. The fact that parents would rather have that on 1/29 than mid June is telling about priorities.

Or they could teach.

Shut off the internet and have the principal and APs verifyiny there's no movie playing. Apparently we can't trust teachers to be professionals.

Are you slow? They’ll be doing the grading that was supposed to be taking place that day.

And who is “we?” Because you’ll be “shutting off” nothing.

Ok, but it's designated as a potential makeup day. Guys, if you don't want these days to potentially become instructional days, I urge you to submit your feedback on the calendar to MCPS and ask them to build more actual snow days into the school year. Until they do, this is just the way it is.

Exactly. We need more snow days built-in from the start, and we need to automatically select the next available make-up day if we go over.

I disagree that the next available day should be automatically selected. Some makeup days are better to use than others, and the decision should be made deliberately.

This.

There are consequences to all decisions. The decision to use a grading day when there are other days available is going to have negative consequences on students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

+1 I've lived in upstate NY. When I was there, the roads were basically covered in snow for weeks at a time. People drove on the snow. And not all in SUVs. It was fine. You just drive slowly.

That may be true, but it’s irrelevant to MCPS. It’s just different here. People in Canada and upstate NY may be rolling their eyes at us, but nonetheless - things come to stop here due to snow.

Were school buses in NY better equipped to drive on snow? Or is that just another example of DMV not being able to deal with what’s a regular occurrence up north?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

Good question. Over the years I’ve heard that the reason they close so often is due to the buses. And one time they stayed open and there was an accident (I can’t remember the details but it was in recent years). Am I wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

Good question. Over the years I’ve heard that the reason they close so often is due to the buses. And one time they stayed open and there was an accident (I can’t remember the details but it was in recent years). Am I wrong?

Although the ice is the issue more than the snow, I think…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

Good question. Over the years I’ve heard that the reason they close so often is due to the buses. And one time they stayed open and there was an accident (I can’t remember the details but it was in recent years). Am I wrong?

I have heard its because we don't have heated bus bays like they do up north, and the busses can't run well because the engines and/or oils are not able to heat up properly. Maybe that's another myth...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

Good question. Over the years I’ve heard that the reason they close so often is due to the buses. And one time they stayed open and there was an accident (I can’t remember the details but it was in recent years). Am I wrong?

I have heard its because we don't have heated bus bays like they do up north, and the busses can't run well because the engines and/or oils are not able to heat up properly. Maybe that's another myth...

The story keeps changing. Is it the cold not allowing buses to start, or the snow/ice they allegedly can't drive on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

I'll be shocked if school opens thursday.

Agree MCPS needs to build in more snow days to begin with. Seems like they try to have it both ways- say they don't have the resources/capability to clear parking lots, etc. but the schedule doesn't redlect that.

Except the parking lots are already cleared.

The MCPS middle school in my neighborhood (Olney) has snow covered parking lots. The sidewalks have been cleared on the property, but no snow plow has cleared them yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The federal government is closed today. My doctors office was closed yesterday and also today. Yet, only MCPS is getting a torrent of abuse for being closed. Why such double standards?

I do not see a "torrent of abuse". I see out my window that the roads are fine right now, yet I expect there to be no school tomorrow.

And teachers will take the blame for that, even though they have absolutely no control over school closures.

And my roads aren’t fine. We had a plow come through midday yesterday, and now it is a packed sea of snow and ice.

Same here. It's like that for two blocks until we get to a road that goes out of the neighborhood. That road is plowed out to major roads.

It was fine. It was a slow 2 blocks, but drivable.

Why do you think you can't drive on snow?

The issue is that the BUSES cannot drive on snow. The majority of kids in our school travel by school bus each day. If the buses cannot safely transport these kids, school will be closed or delayed.

I just drove to an appointment in Rockville. My street (which intersects with a main road) is the only street that has been plowed so far. That surprised me, but I assume they will finish the rest today, because there’s no way that school buses will be allowed on those streets.

The main roads are plowed, but the melted snow will re-freeze tonight and be icy early in the morning, I imagine. Based on past experience with MCPS, I’m guessing two hour delay.

Buses absolutely can drive on snow. They're heavy. Who told you they can't?

Good question. Over the years I’ve heard that the reason they close so often is due to the buses. And one time they stayed open and there was an accident (I can’t remember the details but it was in recent years). Am I wrong?

DP. There was a special ed bus that slid on ice and went off the road into a ditch in Potomac, around 2018. Nobody was hurt but the kids had to be rescued by the fire department.