Reasoning about School Closure at Individual School Level

It's been a long-standing headache for parents when inclement weather causes school delays or even closures. Loudoun's location makes it different from Fairfax and other adjacent school districts.

A lot of the time, while the weather is generally permissive enough to allow most Loudoun County public schools to open, the roads in the western part of the county are still too difficult or dangerous for school buses and parents to navigate. That's the main reason all schools have to be delayed or kept closed.

I have been thinking that we don't necessarily have to implement county-wide school closures or delays. Individual schools could still open normally if the principal determines that weather conditions do not present a challenge for his or her school.

My concern about school-based closures is mostly in terms of their impact on students, such as lost learning time and the added burden on parents.

Thanks to a few teachers who recently responded to me and reminded me that inclement weather can also make it difficult for teachers who live far away to get to school on time, similar to the situations in western Loudoun County.

I don’t mean to suggest that classroom teaching hours shouldn't be preserved. For schools that can remain open during inclement weather, where school buses can operate normally, students could engage in self-study, reading, and other productive activities, supervised by teacher assistants if their teachers cannot make it to school on time.

For schools that can remain open during bad weather but lack sufficient teachers, teacher assistants, or parent volunteers, I would give principals the option to group students in the cafeteria or gym, supervised by fewer staff, to read books, do homework, or engage in any activities the principal deems appropriate. This approach is easier to implement in elementary schools. For middle and high schools, we can involve student government or other self-help mechanisms to promote self-governance and discipline.