Local classrooms will remain empty at least through Tuesday as school systems brace for more snow and more disruption to their schedules.
Loudoun County school officials threw their hands up and called off class until Feb. 16, following the Presidents Day holiday.
“It will probably take until Sunday to dig out our 770 buses and make them trip worthy,” Loudoun Superintendent Edgar Hatrick said in an online message to the school community.
Fairfax County schools will remain closed at least through Wednesday. All other local school systems, including D.C. public schools, will be closed Tuesday, with updates to come about Wednesday.
The plan from the National Weather Service, to the chagrin of school officials, is for 10 to 20 more inches of snow before Wednesday night.
George Parker, president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, sent an e-mail to his members Sunday night commending teachers for “calls to the office of [Mayor Adrian Fenty] and [Chancellor Michelle Rhee] expressing your disagreement and outrage” that resulted in the “success” of schools being called off.
Rhee said the decision was made “based on information needed to run schools effectively,” including the final call from public transportation officials at 8:30 Sunday night to keep buses off the roads early Monday morning.
The time out of school also has meant time off the track and out of the gym for thousands of area athletes coming to the close of winter sports seasons.
Ben Constanides, a senior indoor track star for Montgomery County’s Damascus High School, spent the night at a friend’s house this week so that he could do his workouts on a treadmill in advance of the region championships scheduled for Monday. The meet has been postponed until school resumes. Constanides, who can run a mile in four and a half minutes, has been trying to stay focused.
“I feel like even though the snow is out there, if you’re on top of it mentally, then it’s not too bad.”
