Baltimore County Public Schools have made a weather decision for Monday, Dec. 15, classes. Here's the latest.
BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — With weekend snowfall ranging from 2 to 6 inches, all Baltimore County Public Schools and offices will be under a delayed start on Monday, Dec. 15.
District officials announced the delay late Sunday afternoon.
The late start means there will be no AM PreKindergarten. Offices will open on time as scheduled.
The district said it will provide an update by 7 a.m. Monday if there are any changes to the system's operating status.
Information about school operations is announced publicly as soon as possible on local radio and television stations and other media including the Internet.
How does BCPS decide whether to close or delay the opening of schools for inclement weather
Keeping children and staff safe is the main factor in any decision to close or delay the opening of schools.
Information about the weather is gathered and considered from many sources before a decision is made:
Why does BCPS close schools or delay opening schools for inclement weather?
To provide a quality education for every student, BCPS supports every opportunity to ensure that students are in class and learning; however, when weather conditions or forecasted conditions threaten the safety of children and staff, we must make decisions to cancel classes to ensure students and staff are able to get to school safely or return home without incident.
What happens when a decision is made to close or delay schools?
When the Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools decides to close or delay school openings because of inclement weather, the decision is made with great care and deliberation. Many aspects of school operations are affected – bus and staff schedules must be altered; parents must be notified; and the media must be informed. Timing is crucial, as BCPS is a large school system with 111,000 students. If schools are to close for the day, an announcement will be made by 5:30 a.m. If schools are to close early, or if afternoon or evening programs are to be cancelled, the decision will be made as much in advance as possible. Please note that school closures also include the Virtual Learning Program.
Once the decision is made, it is communicated within minutes to the media and posted on BCPS web site, the Education Channel (cable channel 73), the BCPS school status information phone line.
Information is also sent immediately to parents and the community. Safeguards are provided to ensure that the information is accurate, up-to-date, and reliable.
Where can I find information about BCPS school closings or delays?
There are several places to find out information:
For more information regarding Emergency Closures, Delayed Openings, and Early Dismissals of Schools and/or Offices, please refer to Rule 6303.