WASHINGTON — From snow days to the nor’easter that slammed the region with winds of 70 mph on March 2, weather-related closures have forced area school systems to juggle their calendars.
In Prince George’s County, where school officials decided Thursday morning to close schools for the day after first calling for a two-hour delay, spokesman John White said there are “no good options” on how to make up for the latest closing, which puts them over their allotted five inclement weather makeup days.
The school system has already decided to use two days of spring break — April 5 and 6 — as makeup days for previous weather-related closings, White said. But the school system later announced in a statement they will officially decide whether to designate April 4 as a makeup day at its March 29 board meeting.
In Montgomery County, school spokesman Derek Turner said that, because the school system has already exhausted the number of snow days on the calendar, the school year has been extended to June 15, the last day under state law that schools can hold classes.
Anne Arundel County school spokesman Bob Mosier said currently the school system is “even”; it’s used up its three built-in snow days. But Mosier said that’s sheer luck: Unlike many other school systems, Anne Arundel County schools were already closed for parent-teacher conferences on the day the high winds slammed the region on March 2.
Howard County schools set aside five snow days and have used up six as of Wednesday. Officials say they’ve petitioned the Maryland State Department of Education for a waiver.
Charles County schools have used up the five days allotted to inclement weather.
In Northern Virginia, Loudoun and Fairfax county school officials say their calendars are so far not affected by snow days; both school systems still have a number of snow days built into their calendars.
