Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 08:03     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
If you are worried about the bus in the weather, drive your kid or keep him home. Shrug.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 08:03     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Well, I'm a teacher and the county didn't bother to salt any of the roads last night, so now I'm dealing with the fact that I live at the bottom of a big hill - a big hill of solid ice. No idea how I'm going to get into work this morning, especially since I have to be there earlier than the kids. Also not sure how the bus is going to get up that hill. The county is taking a huge risk here. This is not safe.


Our roads are covered in snow with another half inch of snow to fall in the next hour. The main road was plowed too early and is now a sheet of ice... How are they still open?
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 08:02     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Why haven’t there closed? It says sleet for the next hour! My middle schooler is about to get on the bus soon!


Then don’t send him in the bus if you’re so worried! Miss school! Stay home!
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:58     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Well, I'm a teacher and the county didn't bother to salt any of the roads last night, so now I'm dealing with the fact that I live at the bottom of a big hill - a big hill of solid ice. No idea how I'm going to get into work this morning, especially since I have to be there earlier than the kids. Also not sure how the bus is going to get up that hill. The county is taking a huge risk here. This is not safe.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:58     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:It's still snowing in the FC part of Falls Church. The roads look drivable, but it's more snow than I expected FCPS to stay open for. I'm pleasantly impressed with their decision to open. The delay was a good call.

There's clearly been enough turnover at Gatehouse that they've collectively forgotten the #CloseFCPS fiasco of 2015! This is not the FCPS that closed for anything like a few years ago.


The kids aren’t on the bus yet to have this be an issue.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:58     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Why haven’t there closed? It says sleet for the next hour! My middle schooler is about to get on the bus soon!
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:58     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
In past years, school transportation on these types of days was somewhat protected by the fact that so many workers would telework and not be on the roads.
This year, there is no more fed telework, so more of them are going to be on the roads. Hopefully it won’t snarl things up too much.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:57     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:“The county wants to avoid” not that they never will. If every parent drove their kid to school, delays wouldn’t be a thing. It’s literally because the county doesn’t want to be liable for an accident


Schools are not the county and if this was the case the county would delay its own operations. They have zero issue with all their own workers driving around doing county business in count vehicles.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:56     Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:The premise of a delayed opening is not that there will never be snow on the ground or in the air when you or your child have to leave the house. The premise is to get people past the typical morning commute window and spread out traffic.


Also gives people time to clear their cars and allow more time for travel.

Agree it’s not (or shouldn’t be) that no one can ever traverse in light snow.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:55     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
It's still snowing in the FC part of Falls Church. The roads look drivable, but it's more snow than I expected FCPS to stay open for. I'm pleasantly impressed with their decision to open. The delay was a good call.

There's clearly been enough turnover at Gatehouse that they've collectively forgotten the #CloseFCPS fiasco of 2015! This is not the FCPS that closed for anything like a few years ago.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:54     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
“The county wants to avoid” not that they never will. If every parent drove their kid to school, delays wouldn’t be a thing. It’s literally because the county doesn’t want to be liable for an accident
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:54     Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Schools are the only sector of our society that reach hysteria during these minor events. It’s become so normalized. Everyone else carries on with their life. Including parents driving their children around to other activities on snow days.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:53     Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The premise of a delayed opening is not that there will never be snow on the ground or in the air when you or your child have to leave the house. The premise is to get people past the typical morning commute window and spread out traffic.


No, the premise is for bus drivers. Parents of students that drive their kids to schools or have them walk can make the choice if they’re okay with the state of the roads, but bus drivers have to do whatever the county says. The county wants to avoid putting any of their drivers on icy roads with a bus full of children. By delaying, the sun is out and there’s more time for the roads to be cleared.


I do not agree the premise is bus drivers will never drive on anything other than clear roads. I think some people want that to be the premise though.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:52     Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
A delayed opening actually puts MS right in the thick of that commute window
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2025 07:51     Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The premise of a delayed opening is not that there will never be snow on the ground or in the air when you or your child have to leave the house. The premise is to get people past the typical morning commute window and spread out traffic.


I don’t think there is a typical morning commute on these sorts of days.


What are you talking about? Most businesses and the Fed are open on time today. They will commute during “the typical morning commute window.” A school delayed opening means that students and staff will not be in the bulk of that commute window thus making it easier and safer to travel.