WASHINGTON — Fairfax County Public Schools may have had a week off in the wake of last weekend’s blizzard, but the school system is still on track to end the school year as originally scheduled.
That’s the word from Jeff Platenburg, the school system’s assistant superintendent for facilities and transportation.
Not only will schools be ready to open on Monday, he told WTOP on Friday morning; all school buildings will be ready to host regularly scheduled school and community events on Saturday and Sunday.
Platenburg says his team has been doing “a phenomenal job,” including 12- to 15-hour shifts, clearing pathways and bus stops after a blizzard that was everything it was cracked up to be.
“Minimal power outages really helped us a lot,” Platenburg says.
While some hoped for a faster clearing of pathways and bus stops, Platenburg says, “we were very fortunate, considering the magnitude” of the storm.
He said he’s also seen students and families clearing their bus stops themselves.
“We’ve seen some phenomenal community work out there. … It’s been really nice to see.”
The predicted warm weather should help clear the streets and sidewalks as well, and Platenburg says that won’t come a moment too soon: About 43,000 students walk to schools, and 108,000 walk to bus stops. Also, the system has 1,600 buses, and they need a lot of room to turn.
“We really need a lot of that to be finished up and touched up,” Platenburg said.
Still, so far the school year will end as scheduled June 23, thanks to a bit more time built into the schedule. In previous years, the district only allowed for about three days of inclement weather, but realized that more flexibility would be required.
“Shift happens,” Platenburg said.
