FCPS announced late Wednesday that the district will remain on a two-hour delay schedule for both Thursday, Feb. 5, and Friday, Feb. 6. The decision comes as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern, which left neighborhood sidewalks and bus stops encased in up to 8.5 inches of snow and ice, according to the National Weather Service.
“Delaying school start times by two hours the rest of the week will make sure students are traveling to school during daylight hours, maximizing safety as they navigate sidewalks and bus stops that still have ice and snow,” the FCPS website said.
Under a two-hour delay, bus pickups and school start times are pushed back by two hours, while dismissal times remain the same. For some, the delays are an acceptable compromise between instruction time and student safety.
“I’m fine with the delay,” senior Ahmed Baathallah said. “I get to sleep in and also get two extra hours to study for my BC Calculus test tomorrow. I think it’s a fair, win-win situation for everyone.”
Others, however, remain unsatisfied with the icy conditions.
“Yesterday, our bus stop was completely frozen over, and we had to wait on the side of the road where people were driving,” senior Rayyan Mohamed said. “I was afraid we were going to get hit. Plus, our buses were 15 minutes late today thanks to all the snow, ice and panicked parents.”
Some students have even taken to social media to communicate their grievances.
“Dear FCPS,” wrote Instagram user avi.kashyap10 on the FCPS post announcing the delays. “I am writing on behalf of all students and teachers to strongly urge you to cancel school tomorrow due to the dangerous ice conditions… For the safety of the FCPS community, canceling school would be the responsible decision to prevent injuries and accidents caused by icy conditions.”
FCPS anticipates that the schedule next week, starting Feb. 9, will return to full school days. In the meantime, several programs will operate on modified schedules. Morning preschool and some special education classes are canceled, while full-day preschool, special education and Early Head Start/Pre-K programs will begin two hours late. Morning field trips and transportation for high school academy classes are also canceled, though transportation will run for academy classes starting after 12:45 p.m. Adult High School and GED courses will start two hours late, and homebound instruction will begin at 10 a.m.
“If you feel that your child is still safest staying home, please make sure to call your child’s school to get an excused absence,” the FCPS website said. “We will share updated information Sunday afternoon.”
