I’ll admit that I’m mainly writing this article out of snow withdrawal. As a winter lover, I am very disappointed in the lack of significant snowfall this year, and I’m not the only one. Senior Gala Loayza said “It’s nice to not have to worry about school for a while”. We all remember the massive snowfall two years ago, and the two weeks we had off as a result. I’m still holding out for another “polar vortex”, but the whole climate change situation leaves me with some doubts.  Regardless, to tide me over until the next snow day, here’s a mid-winter update on #closeFCPS.

So far this year, we’ve had two snow/cold days and one 2-hour delay, a rather disappointing showing after the eight closings and multiple delays last year.  However, this means that the administrators of FCPS may err on the side of caution when making decisions later on this year. Despite our fears or hopes, we are in no danger of adding or removing days from the end of our year. Prior to the 2014-15 school year, any more than three snow days meant more summer days at the end of the year. However, FCPS switched to a different calendar that fulfilled Virginia state requirements in a different way. Virginia requires either 180 days or 990 hours of instruction every year, and FCPS used to use a 183 day calendar, with 3 days built-in for snow days. However, FCPS has since switched to a calendar which exceeds the 990 hour requirement, and then subtracts hours from that total whenever we miss a day or have a delay. This ensures that no days need to be either added or taken away after winter ends.

When you think there might be a snow day coming, the time-old debate begins…do you bother to do your homework? The FCPS website claims that the county tries to make a decision in the evening, so if you think there is a very high chance of cancellation, hold out for the evening announcement to make a final decision. If the decision is a bit more uncertain, a good way to gage your chances is by looking at the Washington Post’s weather reporters: The Capital Weather Gang. In my opinion, they are the most accurate and reliable local forecasts. They also have a specific “School Cast” which gives percentage chances for delays and closings for several local counties. If in doubt, check them out, and you can make an informed decision. If you’re still checking the website for the first notification, get with the times and join Twitter! The famous Ryan McElveen and FCPS News Twitter accounts are the first to update, followed by the website and any other outlets.  If you’re still wondering about how FCPS makes their final decisions, check out this video that they created about their process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYK92jU2xiA

Even though the future of our snow days looks a little grim, hold onto hope! You never know when or where a polar vortex will crop up.