The DMS Cavalier Basketball teams play tonight at Glade Spring Middle School. Go Cavs!
This winter has brought several challenges, including missed school days due to snow, and we appreciate your patience as we navigate these weather conditions together. Looking ahead to the next couple of days, the forecast is calling for extremely cold temperatures, and as a result, Washington County Public Schools will operate on a 2-hour delayed schedule on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents who need that service. We know that there are still a few roads in the county that have been impacted by the snow and ice -- Later this evening, we will provide a list of the roads that will not be used for bus routes tomorrow. We are also asking families to prepare for the division to implement a 2-hour delayed schedule on Wednesday, if necessary. We recognize this decision might raise questions so please review the following information.
Why a 2-Hour Delay?
*Safety: Although the forecast predicts extreme cold, a 2-hour delay gives temperatures a chance to rise slightly during the daylight hours. Local meteorologists say the coldest temperature, or morning low, will be early in the morning. Temperatures have the potential to increase as the morning continues.
*Road Conditions: Snow and ice continue to impact roads across the county, and the delay gives the WCPS transportation department additional time to ensure that bus routes are safe for travel. Driving in the daylight will allow drivers to see slick spots on the roads.
*Bus Preparations: When temperatures drop to extreme lows, starting school buses can become a challenge. Cold diesel engines can cause buses to be slow to start, and they may require extra time for pre-start warm-ups to ensure vehicles are operating properly.
*Comfortable Learning Environment: A 2-hour delay gives our maintenance team extra time to check that all heating systems in school buildings are operational before students and staff arrive. This helps ensure classrooms are at a safe and comfortable temperature when the school day begins. The extra time also allows our maintenance staff to check pipes in the school building to make sure they are not frozen.
* In-Person Learning: While remote learning is beneficial and utilized when needed, in-person learning provides a richer educational experience, with direct access to instruction, hands-on activities, and social interactions which can be difficult to replicate virtually. A 2-hour delay helps maintain the in-person school routine.
Cold Weather Tips:
*Layering is Key: Layering your clothing helps trap warmth and allows you to adjust your outfit based on your activity level and the weather.
*Protect Your Extremities: Hands, feet, ears, and face are especially vulnerable to the cold and should be well-protected.
We know that delays and snow days can be challenging for families, and we sincerely thank you for your continued flexibility. Our goal is to balance instruction with the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We will continue to monitor weather conditions closely to make the best decisions for everyone. As mentioned earlier, childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents who need it. Be on the lookout for specific details from your child’s school.
Warm up with the DMS Cavs Basketball teams as they play at home tonight! Boys will play first.
Due to winter weather and hazardous road conditions, WCPS will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 20, 2025. Childcare will not be available.
Be safe and stay warm!
While we hope you had an opportunity to enjoy the sunshine today, we are looking ahead to this weekend and early next week, where we could experience more weather-related challenges. Significant snowfall is in the forecast for Sunday evening, with an arctic blast of cold temperatures to follow. Given these predictions, we will be closely monitoring the forecast to ensure the safety of our students and staff. We are asking you to plan for the possibility of a schedule change on Monday, January 20, 2025.
We have sent remote learning materials home with students this weekend just in case we have another prolonged closure. However, the earliest we would begin to consider a Remote Learning Day would be Wednesday, January 22, in the event road conditions do not improve by mid-week.
We will continue to monitor conditions and communicate further updates as needed. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this next round of winter weather.
Washington County Public Schools will operate on a REGULAR SCHEDULE on Friday, January 17, 2025. However, buses will only travel on clear routes.
There are a few roads in the county still impacted by snow and ice. The roads that will not be used tomorrow, can be found here: https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/documents/transportation%2Fbus-routes/743711. Principals will be happy to work with students impacted by the use of clear routes only to make further arrangements.
While we are excited to be on a regular schedule tomorrow, the forecast is calling for the possibility of snow in some areas this evening. Please be mindful this could result in schedule changes/alternations, if necessary.
The DMS Cavalier basketball teams play tonight at Chilhowie! Go Cavs!
Washington County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Thursday, January 16, 2025. However, buses will only travel on clear roads. Students who live on roads that are snow and/or ice covered will have multiple options:
1. Parents can choose to keep their child at home and the building principal will work with that family to make up assignments and missed instruction. Students who live on these roads and do not attend school will be given a weather-related approved absence and it will not adversely affect their school record.
2. Parents who can safely navigate these roads may take their child directly to school.
3. Parents may also drop their child off at the school closest to their home in the morning. A bus will then transport their child to their school of attendance. Use the car rider line at the school by 9:30 a.m. A staff member will take your child to a designated transfer area. Afternoon pickup will be at the child’s home school.
Again, parents who choose not to send their child to school because of road conditions in their area, will have the support of their principal and the School Division. If you are a parent of a teen driver, we completely understand and support you if you decide not to allow your child to drive to school.
The roads that will not be used tomorrow, can be found here: https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/documents/transportation%2Fbus-routes/743711
Childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents who need it. Be on the lookout for specific details from your child's school.
DMS will be having a blood drive on Friday, January 24 from 10am-3pm. Appointments can be made, & walk-ins are also welcome. Parents/family members, teachers from other schools, high school seniors, & community members are all invited to participate. Every donation saves up to 3 lives. Please help us reach our goal! Donors receive snacks & this awesome sweatshirt.
Washington County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. However, buses will only travel on clear roads. As a reminder, students who live on roads that are snow and/or ice covered will have multiple options:
1. Parents can choose to keep their child at home and the building principal will work with that family to make up assignments and missed instruction. Students who live on these roads and do not attend school will be given a weather-related approved absence and it will not adversely affect their school record.
2. Parents who can safely navigate these roads may take their child directly to school.
3. Parents may also drop their child off at the school closest to their home in the morning. A bus will then transport their child to their school of attendance. Use the car rider line at the school by 9:30 a.m. A staff member will take your child to a designated transfer area. Afternoon pickup will be at the child’s home school.
Again, parents who choose not to send their child to school because of road conditions in their area, will have the support of their principal and the School Division. If you are a parent of a teen driver, we completely understand and support you if you decide not to allow your child to drive to school.
The roads that will not be used tomorrow, can be found here: https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/documents/transportation%2Fbus-routes/743711
Childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents who need it. Be on the lookout for specific details from your child's school.
After some time off, the DMS Cavalier Basketball Teams play Virginia Middle School tonight at home! Go Cavs!
As you may know, Washington County covers more than 500 mi.², and is serviced by more than 2,000 miles of primary and secondary roads. VDOT has done an excellent job of clearing the vast majority of these roads. However, there are still several roads in the county that are snow and/or ice covered. Based on the current forecast for the upcoming days, it doesn’t appear that there will be much change in the condition of those particular roads.
Since we are able to safely travel a majority of county roads, Washington County Public Schools will operate on a two hour delayed schedule on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. However, buses will only travel on clear roads. Students who live on roads that are snow and/or ice covered will have multiple options:
1. Parents can choose to keep their child at home and the building principal will work with that family to make up assignments and missed instruction. Students who live on these roads and do not attend school will be given a weather-related approved absence and it will not adversely affect their school record.
2. Parents who can safely navigate these roads may take their child directly to school.
3. Parents may also drop their child off at the school closest to their home in the morning. A bus will then transport their child to their school of attendance. Use the car rider line at the school by 9:30 a.m. A staff member will take your child to a designated transfer area. Afternoon pickup will be at the child’s home school.
Again, parents who choose not to send their child to school because of road conditions in their area, will have the support of their principal and the School Division. If you are a parent of a teen driver, we completely understand and support you if you decide not to allow your child to drive to school.
We are providing a list of the roads that won’t be used tomorrow. Those roads can be found here: https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/documents/transportation%2Fbus-routes/743711 We are also giving bus drivers the discretion to avoid other roads if they have a concern. Please be patient as altered routes and longer car rider lines will cause delays to our typical routines. Melting that occurred today may ice over and there is potential for additional snow overnight. We will reevaluate in the morning. If a change needs to be made, that decision will be made by 7:00 a.m.
We will be sending laptops and other instructional materials home with students for the foreseeable future. Due to the number of days we have missed already, we will consider using remote instruction should we have adverse weather in the future. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the snow, ice, and temperatures.
Childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents who need it. Be on the lookout for specific details from your child’s school.
It has been another busy day for our road checkers across Washington County. While crews have worked hard this weekend to clear main roads and secondary roads, there are still many backroads across the area that remain snow and ice covered, with the possibility of a refreeze as temperatures drop again tonight. As a result, WCPS will be CLOSED tomorrow, Monday, January 13, 2025. Childcare will be provided at elementary schools. Please be on the lookout for additional information from your child's principal.
Looking ahead at the weather for this week, we are hopeful we will be able to have students and staff return to their classrooms on Tuesday, as conditions are expected to improve and temperatures rise.
In the meantime, if you know the name of any of these roads, put it in the comments.
Our road checkers have been busy surveying roads across the county all day today. While we believe we would be able to have students return to school on a regular schedule tomorrow morning, the expected timing of the winter storm in the afternoon could make safely transporting students home difficult. Accumulating snow is expected to start at noon tomorrow. As a result, WCPS will be CLOSED Friday, January 10, 2025. Childcare will not be provided.
We have put much thought and discussion into this decision, but based on conversations with multiple meteorologists, we feel this is the safest option for our students and staff.
Be safe and stay warm!
SCHEDULE UPDATE: We have had multiple snow squalls in different parts of the County this evening. Unfortunately, it’s snowing again now. As a result, Washington County Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, January 9, 2025. Childcare will still be offered at elementary schools. Please be on the lookout for information from your student's principal. Stay warm and be safe!
A reminder that WCPS will operate on a 2-Hour Delay tomorrow, Thursday, January 9, 2025, due to expected wind chill temperatures in the single digits. Childcare will be provided at all elementary schools for working families who need it. Please be on the lookout for additional childcare information from your student’s elementary school.
We are looking forward to starting the second semester and welcoming our students and staff back to their classrooms. Stay warm and be safe!
SCHEDULE UPDATE: While we were excited and planning on welcoming back our students to start the second semester today, due to unexpected heavy snow flurries that have covered many roads throughout the county, some of which have black ice, WCPS will be closed Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Childcare will still be provided at elementary schools. That information will be provided by each principal. Stay warm and be safe!
WCPS will operate on a 2-Hour Delayed Schedule on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Childcare will be provided at all elementary schools for working families who need it. Please be on the lookout for additional childcare information from your student’s elementary school.
Our biggest obstacle for tomorrow is parking lots and drop off lines. We have worked those hard this afternoon and will hit them again in the morning. For parents and students who will be driving, please take extra care in those areas.
Due to expected sub-zero wind chills, we will operate on a 2-Hour Delayed Schedule on Thursday, January 9, 2025, as well. We understand how inconvenient delayed schedules can be for families so we are providing this advance notice to give everyone ample time to make arrangements.
We can’t wait to see our students and staff back in their classrooms tomorrow (Wednesday)! Stay warm and be safe!
The basketball games scheduled for tonight have been cancelled.
Due to deteriorating conditions in many parts of the county overnight, WCPS will be closed today, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Because of these conditions, childcare will not be available. Stay safe and warm!
