Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:52
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader telling me that the snow falling will make for dangerous conditions for the ES kids, they should cancel the day out of safety. It made me laugh, he leaves for the bus in 10 minutes.
I have a 4th grader and 1st grader who were shocked when I told them it was just a delay still. They were absolutely convinced that they weren't able to go to school if snow was actively falling.
They're currently out playing in the half an inch that we have trying to figure out if it's enough to sled on and then they'll come in, have some hot chocolate, and to go to school in an hour or so. My husband left for work earlier and said the roads were all absolutely fine for his commute.
Guess he wasn’t on rt 1 which is closed because cars are spinning out:
Traffic Alert: Richmond Hwy is closed in both directions between Telegraph Rd and Fairfax County Pkwy in Lorton due to snow covered roads. Several vehicles have spun out. No injuries reported. Please avoid the area and use alternate routes only if travel is necessary.
Look at the cameras on virginia 511. Route 1 even right before the closure is perfectly fine. I dont know why that little stretch is so bad but it would be ridiculous to cancel school for 180k students over a single stretch of road that's snowy.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:49
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Just because roads are "fine" in your area, please be mindful that might NOT be in the case in other areas of the VERY large county!!
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:47
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader telling me that the snow falling will make for dangerous conditions for the ES kids, they should cancel the day out of safety. It made me laugh, he leaves for the bus in 10 minutes.
I have a 4th grader and 1st grader who were shocked when I told them it was just a delay still. They were absolutely convinced that they weren't able to go to school if snow was actively falling.
They're currently out playing in the half an inch that we have trying to figure out if it's enough to sled on and then they'll come in, have some hot chocolate, and to go to school in an hour or so. My husband left for work earlier and said the roads were all absolutely fine for his commute.
Guess he wasn’t on rt 1 which is closed because cars are spinning out:
Traffic Alert: Richmond Hwy is closed in both directions between Telegraph Rd and Fairfax County Pkwy in Lorton due to snow covered roads. Several vehicles have spun out. No injuries reported. Please avoid the area and use alternate routes only if travel is necessary.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:43
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader telling me that the snow falling will make for dangerous conditions for the ES kids, they should cancel the day out of safety. It made me laugh, he leaves for the bus in 10 minutes.
I have a 4th grader and 1st grader who were shocked when I told them it was just a delay still. They were absolutely convinced that they weren't able to go to school if snow was actively falling.
They're currently out playing in the half an inch that we have trying to figure out if it's enough to sled on and then they'll come in, have some hot chocolate, and to go to school in an hour or so. My husband left for work earlier and said the roads were all absolutely fine for his commute.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:40
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:People’s ability to asses risk in the internet era of too much information available all the time is so off. So much anxiety.
Looks like someone hasn't had their coffee yet this morning.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:38
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
I just dropped DC off at the bus stop. The slipperiness of the roads wasn't severe, but it was noticeable, even driving an AWD - it's out-of-character for FCPS to not close schools under conditions like this.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:35
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
People’s ability to asses risk in the internet era of too much information available all the time is so off. So much anxiety.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:33
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader telling me that the snow falling will make for dangerous conditions for the ES kids, they should cancel the day out of safety. It made me laugh, he leaves for the bus in 10 minutes.
And when do you leave?
LOL +1
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:33
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.
Tip from a former Seattle resident (the whole city is big hills): when snow is in the forecast, drive your car to the top (or bottom) of the big hill the night before, and park it there overnight. You can walk the hill if you have good shoes, then all of your driving is on flat ground.
Maybe the county could also have different bus stops for snow days that aren’t at the top or bottom of hills, if feasible to have alternate locations a reasonable walk away.
Now we will know the Seattle transplants are the ones blocking the plows on the public roads. As PP noted, we do have the worst drivers in the nation all come to metro DC.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:32
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
I grew up in Michigan, the busses can drive up and down hills just fine in this weather.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:31
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Good call FCPS!!!
No need to close. Time to pull up our boots and get to teaching kids!!!
Really? Half of the county with over an inch of snow and ice-covered roads? Do you truly think that that is a good call? Especially when there are a ton of ice-covered hills that busses need to get up??
I agree with you, but hope the PP is right. I have lived here for a long time and I think the call was very iffy. People here can’t drive regularly much less in the snow. The thing FCPS has going for them is that it is a Friday and many people don’t work Fridays or work from home. I bet they are the ones excited their kids will be out of the house for part of the day.
+1
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:29
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.
Tip from a former Seattle resident (the whole city is big hills): when snow is in the forecast, drive your car to the top (or bottom) of the big hill the night before, and park it there overnight. You can walk the hill if you have good shoes, then all of your driving is on flat ground.
Maybe the county could also have different bus stops for snow days that aren’t at the top or bottom of hills, if feasible to have alternate locations a reasonable walk away.
^For snowy days, not snow days when school is closed, of course.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:29
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader telling me that the snow falling will make for dangerous conditions for the ES kids, they should cancel the day out of safety. It made me laugh, he leaves for the bus in 10 minutes.
And when do you leave?
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:28
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.
Tip from a former Seattle resident (the whole city is big hills): when snow is in the forecast, drive your car to the top (or bottom) of the big hill the night before, and park it there overnight. You can walk the hill if you have good shoes, then all of your driving is on flat ground.
Maybe the county could also have different bus stops for snow days that aren’t at the top or bottom of hills, if feasible to have alternate locations a reasonable walk away.
Maybe…. Or maybe that would be even more confusing for the bus drivers who have to contend with snow, ice and crazy kids.
Anonymous
12/05/2025 08:28
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote: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.
Tip from a former Seattle resident (the whole city is big hills): when snow is in the forecast, drive your car to the top (or bottom) of the big hill the night before, and park it there overnight. You can walk the hill if you have good shoes, then all of your driving is on flat ground.
Maybe the county could also have different bus stops for snow days that aren’t at the top or bottom of hills, if feasible to have alternate locations a reasonable walk away.