MCPS to Give Insight into Decision Whether to Close for Weather

For some students it’s all about wearing their pajamas inside out and some teachers do a snow dance. But for Montgomery County School officials the decision to close or delay school for weather is a bit more methodical than that.

In fact, school officials are giving a presentation about how they make their inclement weather decisions and how they communicate them to the school community during a school board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 23.

The topics that will be covered during the presentation include how:

• decisions are made to close schools or delay school opening;
• these decisions are communicated;
• the Department of Facilities Management staff clears our school grounds and facilities when there is snow;
• decisions to close schools or delay opening impact the Division of Food and Nutrition Services, community activities in our schools, interscholastic sports, and other after-school and evening activities;
• employee time and attendance and payroll are affected; and
• decisions made about weekend activities.

One of the things to be discussed is the reason why the school system does not close or delay schools individually based on weather.  According to Bowers’ memo, the National Weather Service recently categorized Montgomery County from a single forecast zone to two zones: northwest and southeast. But, Bowers said because of the complexity of the school system’s specialized education programs, choice programs and staffing, zoned school closing and delays won’t work here.

You can read Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers’ memo to the school board about the presentation below.

About Krista Brick

Krista Brick is a multi-media journalist with Montgomery Community Media.

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