Anonymous
01/31/2026 14:09
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Now hearing more HS might ban students from driving to school because of lack of unplowed spaces. Will be interesting to see if busses can accommodate all the extra students
They should encourage students and teachers to carpool or take the bus.
Lol. I know what my school will do is just call tow trucks and tow every car that doesn't have a staff placard hanging from the rearview. Too bad so sad for all the parents who will have to get their kids car out of impound
If the teachers consider themselves "above" carpooling and public transit, and this is the policy that would allow MCPS to order teachers to work, then fine. Do it.
I’d be happy to carpool, but I live way out of county and I’m not aware of any coworker who lives in my direction.
I’d be happy to act as a crossing guard, but they would have to assign my morning supervisory duty to someone else.
I know it’s easy to come up with solutions for other people, isn’t it? Reality is sometimes a bit trickier.
Know what I am above? The insults on this site. I really do look down my nose at people who revel in teacher bashing.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 14:03
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm appreciative that they were slow to reopen for the reasons described in this thread. But more time out of school just isn't tenable. It's going to be below zero all week. The problems present now will also be there a week from now.
I think they should institute some flexibility. For instance, starting 2 hours late but allowing drop off from normal start time until the delayed start time to reduce traffic. Maybe even putting busses on a different schedule spanning that full window (though this may be difficult given that they haven't telegraphed it ahead of time).
I wonder if they could enlist MOCO law enforcement to do traffic control for the morning and afternoon hours?
Ideally, MCPS will use this opportunity to come up with an emergency plan for severe weather in the coming year-- for instance, building it into some employees' contracts that on certain emergency days they are assigned crossing guard duty or bus stop duty to keep kids safe in the morning before school.
I'm not sure about all of these suggestions (teachers as crossing guards seems wrong to me) but I agree that some creative ideas are necessary. How about permitting Zoom school for HS students, all of whom have chrome books? Allow teachers to require asychronous work (esp for AP classes)?
The biggest problem I see - living a few blocks from an elementary school - is that there are GIANT piles of snow and ice at every intersection that reduce visibility. Just yesterday a dump truck T-boned a small car about a block away from the elementary school on my street (NCC.) Most of the neighborhood streets are down to one way (and drivers seem completely unwilling to drive more slowly despite that fact.) I'm not a snowflake but I recognize that there are real risks to 160k+++ kids trying to walk to schools and busstops often before the sun is up with large snow/ice piles blocking visibility.
Virtual simply isn't an option. We can debate some other time whether it should be in the future, but it isn't this year. It is unproductive to keep bringing that up.
The AP scenario seems particularly strange. If your child is too immature to be able to walk, ride a bus, or drive to school in these conditions, then they have no business in an AP class. College is going to be a shock to them. You're expected to be able to take care of yourself.
Ok you weird hostile PP, get over yourself. Clearly you know nothing about MCPS HS coursework. AP exams take place in May. It is already a crunch to fit all the material in prior to the exams, and frankly not much else happens in those classes after the exams. I'd much rather that my HS junior who has 5 AP classes has assignments to ensure that the curriculum can progress as intended.
And I never said my kid can't walk or ride a bus or drive. I did say that the giant snowbanks in my neighborhood would make it unsafe for the elementary kids to get to the school down the street. Why is that so hard for you to understand?
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:33
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Now hearing more HS might ban students from driving to school because of lack of unplowed spaces. Will be interesting to see if busses can accommodate all the extra students
They should encourage students and teachers to carpool or take the bus.
Lol. I know what my school will do is just call tow trucks and tow every car that doesn't have a staff placard hanging from the rearview. Too bad so sad for all the parents who will have to get their kids car out of impound
If the teachers consider themselves "above" carpooling and public transit, and this is the policy that would allow MCPS to order teachers to work, then fine. Do it.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:31
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Now hearing more HS might ban students from driving to school because of lack of unplowed spaces. Will be interesting to see if busses can accommodate all the extra students
They should encourage students and teachers to carpool or take the bus.
Lol. I know what my school will do is just call tow trucks and tow every car that doesn't have a staff placard hanging from the rearview. Too bad so sad for all the parents who will have to get their kids car out of impound
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:24
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Hate to pile on(pun intended) the already difficult job the county has but I really wish they had taken the DC approach and actually remove the snow rather than just push it around. It would take a little more effort and logistics but it would make things a lot safer if they had loaded snow and ice into trucks and dump trailers and gone and dumped it at like Lakeforest Mall's empty lot.
They did this in Rockville but the city has its own Public Works department.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:23
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm appreciative that they were slow to reopen for the reasons described in this thread. But more time out of school just isn't tenable. It's going to be below zero all week. The problems present now will also be there a week from now.
I think they should institute some flexibility. For instance, starting 2 hours late but allowing drop off from normal start time until the delayed start time to reduce traffic. Maybe even putting busses on a different schedule spanning that full window (though this may be difficult given that they haven't telegraphed it ahead of time).
I wonder if they could enlist MOCO law enforcement to do traffic control for the morning and afternoon hours?
Ideally, MCPS will use this opportunity to come up with an emergency plan for severe weather in the coming year-- for instance, building it into some employees' contracts that on certain emergency days they are assigned crossing guard duty or bus stop duty to keep kids safe in the morning before school.
I'm not sure about all of these suggestions (teachers as crossing guards seems wrong to me) but I agree that some creative ideas are necessary. How about permitting Zoom school for HS students, all of whom have chrome books? Allow teachers to require asychronous work (esp for AP classes)?
The biggest problem I see - living a few blocks from an elementary school - is that there are GIANT piles of snow and ice at every intersection that reduce visibility. Just yesterday a dump truck T-boned a small car about a block away from the elementary school on my street (NCC.) Most of the neighborhood streets are down to one way (and drivers seem completely unwilling to drive more slowly despite that fact.) I'm not a snowflake but I recognize that there are real risks to 160k+++ kids trying to walk to schools and busstops often before the sun is up with large snow/ice piles blocking visibility.
Virtual simply isn't an option. We can debate some other time whether it should be in the future, but it isn't this year. It is unproductive to keep bringing that up.
The AP scenario seems particularly strange. If your child is too immature to be able to walk, ride a bus, or drive to school in these conditions, then they have no business in an AP class. College is going to be a shock to them. You're expected to be able to take care of yourself.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:19
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Now hearing more HS might ban students from driving to school because of lack of unplowed spaces. Will be interesting to see if busses can accommodate all the extra students
They should encourage students and teachers to carpool or take the bus.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:17
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
I don't understand the jump to "no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards." Sure you can. Very few yards have fences right up against the street. You just don't want to.
You’re in every thread, commenting any chance you can get about how stupid everyone else is and how safe it is and blah blah blah. Good for you, now please STFU and let people with brains do the critical thinking.
DP. Critical thinking would involve looking outside and seeing that the world is open. It takes a little more time to get place, walking and driving are a little harder, but people are doing it. Sitting in your house looking at piles of snow and thinking "it's impossible!" isn't critical thinking, it's mental illness.
No, you’re just using bs to get your way and it’s pathetic. I’ve been out and about and can easily conclude it’s unsafe for kids to be walking to school in certain areas. Go on with your sad life. Using mental illness as an insult? Grow up.
The reality is, actual experience demonstrates otherwise. Kids have been out playing. Adults have been walking dogs and themselves to bus stops. Other districts now have had kids walking to school. It's been fine.
Uncomfortable? Sure, it's cold out there. Inconvenient? Yes, it takes more time when you're dealing with snow. But it can absolutely be done safely. If you're concerned, or you think your kids have challenges that make them uniquely incapable of walking safely in these conditions, then you should address their needs as their parent.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:16
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Now hearing more HS might ban students from driving to school because of lack of unplowed spaces. Will be interesting to see if busses can accommodate all the extra students
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:13
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
Have you even been outside? There are absolutely paths through the snow from other people walking through it. Yes, it takes more time. Yes, you have to be more careful than usual. You might even get a little bit of snow in your shoes while you do it. But you can definitely manage. And the tracks demonstrate that.
My e in your neighborhood but we don’t have a lot of sidewalks so kids have to walk in the barely passable streets that have huge mounds of snow and ice. Not ok for a two mile walk.
It is highly unlikely that there are no alternative walking routes that would significantly decrease the distance without a sidewalk. Have them walk through yards near the road until they reach a street with a sidewalk. Yes, that might result in a slightly longer walk. Walk with them or drive them if you don't think they're capable of doing that by themselves.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:10
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:I'm appreciative that they were slow to reopen for the reasons described in this thread. But more time out of school just isn't tenable. It's going to be below zero all week. The problems present now will also be there a week from now.
I think they should institute some flexibility. For instance, starting 2 hours late but allowing drop off from normal start time until the delayed start time to reduce traffic. Maybe even putting busses on a different schedule spanning that full window (though this may be difficult given that they haven't telegraphed it ahead of time).
I wonder if they could enlist MOCO law enforcement to do traffic control for the morning and afternoon hours?
Ideally, MCPS will use this opportunity to come up with an emergency plan for severe weather in the coming year-- for instance, building it into some employees' contracts that on certain emergency days they are assigned crossing guard duty or bus stop duty to keep kids safe in the morning before school.
I'm not sure about all of these suggestions (teachers as crossing guards seems wrong to me) but I agree that some creative ideas are necessary. How about permitting Zoom school for HS students, all of whom have chrome books? Allow teachers to require asychronous work (esp for AP classes)?
The biggest problem I see - living a few blocks from an elementary school - is that there are GIANT piles of snow and ice at every intersection that reduce visibility. Just yesterday a dump truck T-boned a small car about a block away from the elementary school on my street (NCC.) Most of the neighborhood streets are down to one way (and drivers seem completely unwilling to drive more slowly despite that fact.) I'm not a snowflake but I recognize that there are real risks to 160k+++ kids trying to walk to schools and busstops often before the sun is up with large snow/ice piles blocking visibility.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:10
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
I don't understand the jump to "no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards." Sure you can. Very few yards have fences right up against the street. You just don't want to.
You’re in every thread, commenting any chance you can get about how stupid everyone else is and how safe it is and blah blah blah. Good for you, now please STFU and let people with brains do the critical thinking.
DP. Critical thinking would involve looking outside and seeing that the world is open. It takes a little more time to get place, walking and driving are a little harder, but people are doing it. Sitting in your house looking at piles of snow and thinking "it's impossible!" isn't critical thinking, it's mental illness.
No, you’re just using bs to get your way and it’s pathetic. I’ve been out and about and can easily conclude it’s unsafe for kids to be walking to school in certain areas. Go on with your sad life. Using mental illness as an insult? Grow up.
It's not an insult, it's just a fact that changes how other people should view your beliefs. You have anxiety, and that's not your fault, but the rest of us shouldn't live our lives to pretending like the beliefs you hold due to your illness are true. They aren't. This is demonstrated by the fact that people are moving normally about the county with a small degree of caution than usual. Kids are outside walking long distances, people are driving, bus are operating. The danger you see is not there.
Hopefully, you'll get the help you need, but the school system needs to work off reality, which is different from what you perceive to be true.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:09
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
Have you even been outside? There are absolutely paths through the snow from other people walking through it. Yes, it takes more time. Yes, you have to be more careful than usual. You might even get a little bit of snow in your shoes while you do it. But you can definitely manage. And the tracks demonstrate that.
When your argument becomes “kids can easily get to school by jumping fences, traipsing through yards, walking on unknown paths bc one other person did it- there are tracks!” You’ve lost your argument. Goodbye.
Read the comment again. I'm saying almost no yards have fences up to the street, so no, you wouldn't be blocked. And walking through a yard isn't trespassing. Look it up.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:06
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
Have you even been outside? There are absolutely paths through the snow from other people walking through it. Yes, it takes more time. Yes, you have to be more careful than usual. You might even get a little bit of snow in your shoes while you do it. But you can definitely manage. And the tracks demonstrate that.
My e in your neighborhood but we don’t have a lot of sidewalks so kids have to walk in the barely passable streets that have huge mounds of snow and ice. Not ok for a two mile walk.
Anonymous
01/31/2026 13:04
Subject: What schools still aren’t plowed?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The sidewalk off darnestown road and quince orchard road to Quince Orchard HS were not plowed at all yesterday. It is quite dangerous for kids/teens to walk on the road to get to school.
Then walk on the snow. I'm sure there are plenty of footsteps to follow.
Snow is manageable. Being pushed into traffic because sidewalks weren’t plowed is not. The concern is that unplowed sidewalks force students into the roadway. That’s why sidewalks are supposed to be cleared.
They don't force them onto the road. They can walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared. They can walk on lawns.
Have you been outside or even looked around? No, they cannot. My front lawn is blocked by a mountain of snow the front wheeler dumped onto it clearing the street. There are big blocks of snow and ice everywhere else from clearing a path to my front door/clearing the driveway. We don't have sidewalks so the only place to walk has always been the street. I live half a block from an elementary school. The street one block up and around the corner hasn't been touched (also no sidewalks). So no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards.
The school itself looks like it's been plowed (it's a KAH location mentioned above) but that doesn't help if the neighborhood is still a mess.
I don't understand the jump to "no, you cannot walk on lawns/yards." Sure you can. Very few yards have fences right up against the street. You just don't want to.
You’re in every thread, commenting any chance you can get about how stupid everyone else is and how safe it is and blah blah blah. Good for you, now please STFU and let people with brains do the critical thinking.
DP. Critical thinking would involve looking outside and seeing that the world is open. It takes a little more time to get place, walking and driving are a little harder, but people are doing it. Sitting in your house looking at piles of snow and thinking "it's impossible!" isn't critical thinking, it's mental illness.
No, you’re just using bs to get your way and it’s pathetic. I’ve been out and about and can easily conclude it’s unsafe for kids to be walking to school in certain areas. Go on with your sad life. Using mental illness as an insult? Grow up.