Talk to anyone and they will be telling you that kids in PWC will be going to school until the 4th of July.  People are questioning why there is no school on Monday.  Don’t these kids have to make up the missed time?  No. Not yet.

There were 2 built in days.  Those are gone.  There have been a total of 10 days used.  3 in December, 2 for the 6 inch snow and 5 for last week.  I count ten used.  PWC kids can miss 7 more days before the doom and gloom of July 4th according to the PWCS website:

Explanation of “Snow Days” in PWCS 

State law mandates 180 days of school but allows for school divisions to make up missed teaching days by providing students with instructional hours equivalent to the missed days to meet the minimum 990 teaching-hour requirement. In PWCS, we have additional days built into the calendar (two this year at the middle and high school level, and one at the elementary school level) but we also provide more than the minimum time of required instruction with a six-hour school day. This provides adequate time to meet the state minimum number of teaching hours if school is closed for an extended number of days. This allows for up to 15 additional days for all students after the use of the “built-in” days

It seems hard to believe but that’s the nuts and bolts of it. The kids of Prince William have dodged the bullet.

24 Thoughts to “PWCS Explanation of Snow Days”

  1. DB

    It’s what they refer to as “banking time”. I remember when the it snowed during the week of president’s day some years back and school ended up being closed for the week. PWC at first extended the school day by a half an hour, then in March they realized that they banked too much time and the students ended up finishing the year a couple of days earlier than was on the calendar.

  2. Poor Richard

    Light snow predicted Monday and Tuesday.

    And remember some major local snow/ice events in early March
    during the past 25 years.

  3. Who is to say that there will even be school in Prince William County on Tuesday. Roads are still bad, sidewalks not cleared and many of the school lots are not plowed.

  4. DB, Pw always got its pound of flesh. I don’t ever recall them saying oh, we have enough time, let’s close down early. Correct me if I am wrong.

  5. Witness Too

    Thanks for the information, M-H. I was wondering about how this worked.

  6. Happy Harry

    DB – I was teaching in PWC when we had the 1/2 hour added onto the school day. No early release. The idea is that if you’re over hours, then suck it up and deal. The addition of the 1/2 hour didn’t start until after spring break, if I recall correctly.

    And, we’re getting at least 4 inches of snow on Monday. The side streets on Cloverdale Rd in Dale City are horrible – many of the side roads are bad. I shudder to think about Bull Run Mountain, Clifton, Occoquan, Aden Road, etc.

  7. That’s been about 10 years ago– They add on, they never take away.

    Clifton won’t be PW’s problem, thank goodness. After looking at the roads today, I am not sure schools will be able to open on Tuesday, especially if more snow arrives.

  8. DB

    Side roads in Sudley and West Gate are bad as well. Tomorrow was supposed to be an instructional day for Manassas City and I just got a phone call that it will be a teacher work day instead, as was originally planned in the calendar.

    Happy Harry, as I recall the county added on the 1/2 hour for a brief time then discovered they didn’t need to extend the day afterall. I can’t remember how long the extended school days lasted before they went back to the regular day. Maybe I recalled the students finishing early because I work for the city and we go a day or so longer in June than the county. I do remember the year that it didn’t snow at all, Zullinger gave the students an extra day for memorial day weekend and ended the year a day early.

  9. Lafayette

    DB-
    I completely agree about Sudley/WG. I just “toured” the area while delivery some candy to friends. The way I see it these kids will be standing in the middle of the road for their bus stop. This will be after they walked down the snow packed/icy road while sharing it all the while with motorists. This is about one of the UNSAFEST situations I’ve seen for walkers and bus riders alike.

    My daughter’s bus stop is nonexistant it’s piled 8 feet high with snow.
    I rode by Stonewall Middle that’s fine and well that they have their sidewalks at the school cleared. However, how we expect the private citizens to clear sidewalks when the county has left all of the sidewalk snow covered beside of the bus lot. They have cleared the sidewalk coming from 234. Urbanna didn’t have a SINGLE sidewalk cleared. This unacceptable. Oh, I’ve only seen three fire hydrants that are accessible to the fire department should they need to put a fire out.

    Can you be fined or cited for failure to clear the sidewalk? If they can, they need to start now. Sounds like a good way to make a little revenue off of the irresponsible owners/tenants of these homes.

  10. DB

    Lafayette,
    Don’t know if homeowners can be fined but I thought there was some sort of ordinance that requires them to clean sidewalks. I live on a corner lot and though most of my side walk is clear, I have one of those 8 feet high piles you speak of right on the corner on my sidewalk. I can’t clear it. So, that means that if you need to cross the street you can walk down my side walk but then have to climb a mountain, cross the street, then climb the other mountain on the next corner or stay in the street. And in my part of Sudley, the students are walkers including my own child, so naturally I’m very concerned about him walking in the road on Copeland on his way to and from school.

  11. Lafayette, thank you for the roadside candy delivery as I was chipping ice off my driveway while the sun melted it!

    Normally, I would be shoveling out sidewalks and my neighbor would be doing the driveway at the vacant house across the street, but this stuff is just too overwhelming and I just got off crutches. We barely got our own driveway done. We haven’t unearthed the walk to our front door, we’ve been using the side door. The mailbox is clear, but not enough for the mail carrier to drive up to it.

    This stuff is like chiseling stone now.

  12. Not everyone who does not clear their sidewalk is irresponsible. Some people cannot do it. Able bodied young people don’t seem to want to earn money for doing it. They are scarce as hen’s teeth.

    Were it not for my neighbors or son, mine would not be cleared. This is way too much snow for some people, those with heart problems or orthopedic problems to handle.

    Perhaps the county needs to offer the service for a fee. I would love to be presented with a fine. Who would I be telling to bend over so I could pay it?

  13. Until the schools can have kids walking on sidewalks and standing at real bus stops they need to stay closed. The maintainence teams need to come around to the neighborhoods and handle things. If the neighbors can’t, shouldn’t or won’t handle snow clean up, then the county will have to do it.

  14. Lafayette

    Understood not everyone is able to do it themselves, Moon. My neighbor is 100years old. And guess what? His sidewalk is cleared. I think some of us dug some and he paid some too. I would think Boy Scout Troops or churches have some youth able and willing to do the project. I’m surrounded by seniors and they all have their walks cleared by various means. Yet my next door neighbor with a day care business has NOT cleared her sidewalks. Her clients will once again be blocking my driveway with all of this snow.

    Moon, You must have read my mind. I just told Mr. Lafayette the county needed to get out here and at least have the bus stops cleared.

    Back to the bus stops, real quick. The kids in Sudley will be standing in the dark waiting for their buses. WG students will have the street lights to help light their way Tuesday. 🙂

  15. DB

    You know MH I agree that the safety of the students is important. I believe that I read in the Post that Manassas City is responsible for clearing their own streets but VDOT is responsible for clearing the county streets. And in Sudley, the HS students will be waiting for the bus on dark corners in the middle of the road as Laf mentioned above. As a teacher and a parent I would not oppose the idea of staying closed until we as a community can ensure the students’ safety either walking to school or standing at a bus stop. I would rather lose spring break, and /or add 1/2 hour to my day and continue teaching in to July before sending an elementary kid walking down the middle of a busy road or put a HS student in the middle of busy intersection during the pitch black of morning.

  16. It is dangerous out there. Also early in the morning when those kids are out there, they are standing on a solid sheet of ice in the dark during rush hour. Not good.

    Age isn’t the only factor keeping people from shoveling. Now as for kids going out there and doing some shoveling…i don’t understand kids not wanting to earn money. I offered one $40 and she turned up her nose.

  17. Lafayette

    $40? I would’ve been right over…or sent Mr. Lafayette. We mowed grass, raked leaves, shoveled snow, and babysat for money for money in my day. Kids today aren’t used to having to actual work to get something. We worked in my day and I bet the Howler pack worked too.

  18. Lafayette

    Do you think home schoolers gave themselves any snow days? 😉

  19. Indeed the Howler pack did work. They had paper routes and then they went and worked at Baskin Robbins. They both now have strong forearms.

    I don’t know if home schoolers have snow days or not. I can’t see any point in it. Aren’t you where you need to be?

  20. Lafayette

    I know the snow did NOT stop this work at home mom from working. I had no trouble with my commute across the hall to my office. I would think the same would be true for home schoolers. 🙂

  21. Lafayette

    Here’s an article from the paper regarding schools need help getting kids back to school. PWC wants help with sidewalks and bus stops, and the City of Manassas is asking for donations of school supplies for the relocated Mayfield family.
    http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/schools_ask_for_help_getting_students_back_to_class/52267/

  22. From the Washington Post:

    Help needed: Shovelers for Fairfax schools

    Fairfax County Public Schools are asking for volunteers Monday to help dig out sidewalks, bus stops and fire hydrants near all county schools as officials work to re-open for the first time since record-setting snowstorms blanketed the region.

    Don’t have much planned for Presidents Day? Volunteers are asked to show up at county schools with shovels in hand between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday.

    The county’s schools are closed Monday for the holiday, although they were originally planned to be open as a makeup day before officials decided they needed an extra day to clear snow-covered roads. School administrative staff will be working Monday, and some will be tasked with directing the volunteer snow removal efforts.

    Fairfax has already canceled a planned one-day April holiday and will extend the school year into June because of this year’s missed snow days.

  23. I suppose what happens today weather-wise determines the opening tomorrow. I can’t imagine that it would be on time.

  24. Lafayette

    Here’s PW’s email request. Sidewalks..no problem. School bus stops is just simply out of the question to be done by hand.

    February 14, 2010

    PWCS Urges Community to Help Clear Bus Stop Areas and Paths for Student Walkers

    Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) thanks you for your patience, support, and understanding during this extended period of inclement weather. The staff of PWCS is working hard to get schools ready to reopen Tuesday, February 16, as scheduled. Please know that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. And this is where you can help by ensuring your neighborhood sidewalks, walking paths, and bus stops are cleared so students will have a safe place to walk and wait for buses, and so buses will have a clear route to safely pick up children.

    The School Division has completed snow removal efforts at its 88 schools and additional offices, clearing parking lots, sidewalks, and walkways. The staffs at individual schools are continuing to clear miscellaneous areas at each campus. However, we need your help in your communities to make sure students are safe if they walk to school, or wait at bus stops. If everybody pitches in to clear their sidewalks and walkways it will make a tremendous difference. You might consider gathering a group of parents to clear away bus stops. Please contact your residential association to help with bus stop clearing and to urge them to clear fallen trees, common sidewalks, and side streets for school buses if this hasn’t been done already.

    With everyone’s help and support, we can make sure schools reopen in a safe and timely fashion. Thank you. Please enjoy the Presidents Day Holiday on Monday, February 15, and keep checking http://www.pwcs.edu for future updates. Thank you for your continued support of PWCS and the safety of students.

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