As forecasters warn of a potentially significant winter storm this weekend, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is preparing families and staff for possible impacts to school operations. District leaders say student and staff safety remains the top priority and are outlining how and when the community can expect updates, along with key planning information as snow and icy conditions move into the region late Saturday and continue into early next week. The full letter can be seen below.
Dear MCPS Community,
We are closely monitoring the weather forecast, and we know many of you are as well. Current projections show the potential for significant snowfall (as much as 8-12 inches, including ice) beginning late Saturday and continuing through early Monday. As always, the safety of our students and staff comes first. If weather conditions require schools or offices to close or schedules to change, MCPS will communicate quickly to support families and school safety. To help you plan ahead, I want you to know how and when you’ll hear from us. For our status on Monday, we will message families between 4 and 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25. As we move through this storm, we will continue that same late-afternoon communication pattern each day so you can count on timely, predictable updates.
How We Will Share Weather Updates
Any decisions about school or office closures, delayed openings or schedule adjustments will be shared through our usual communication channels as soon as possible:
- Email and text messages (make sure your contact information is up-to-date in ParentVUE)
- MCPS website
- Alert MCPS
- Local media outlets
- Social media
- MCPS-TV (Comcast 34, Verizon 36, RCN 88)
- Your school’s homepage
We will use our color-coded system so families always know where things stand.
Emergency Food Support
We know weather-related closures can affect access to meals for some families. To help plan ahead, MCPS will provide two meals for students to take home on Friday — one breakfast and one lunch. If the storm’s impact requires school closures into next week, we will establish emergency food distribution sites beginning as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on conditions and site accessibility. We will keep you informed with details about locations and timing.
Grading and Reporting
Monday is a scheduled no-school day for students and a grading day for teachers. Our intention is that grading will continue remotely so we can stay on track. Grades will be available in Synergy four working days after reopening, and report cards will be available seven working days after reopening.
Athletic Eligibility
Keeping grading and reporting on schedule also helps minimize any impact on athletic eligibility, something that matters a great deal to many of our students.
End-of-Marking-Period Assessments
If schools are closed, assessment timelines will be adjusted to ensure students have full access to testing opportunities. Your school’s teachers and principals will share specific details.
A Few Important Reminders
Please do not park in school parking lots during snow events so crews can clear snow and prepare our buildings for reopening. Snow removal really is a team effort, and everyone’s cooperation helps things return to normal more quickly. If you notice a neighborhood street that needs attention, you can call the county’s 311 service to report it. And as you stay warm at home, please use extra caution with space heaters — keeping them well away from anything that can burn. Cold weather and snowstorms are, unfortunately, times when home fires are more likely.
We’ll have more in upcoming messages about how to access report cards or if there are any changes to this plan.
We are halfway through the school year, and our staff and students have been working hard. Keeping on track with this work is very important to finish the year successfully.
Thank you and please stay safe!
Thomas W. Taylor, EdD, MBA
Superintendent
