A Safety-First Decision for Our School Community

Our highest responsibility is, and will always remain, the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We recognize that school closures create real challenges for families and employees, and we do not take that disruption lightly. After careful deliberation, I, along with our executive leadership team, made the decision to close schools on Monday, February 2, following a comprehensive, countywide assessment of conditions.

This decision was guided by one clear obligation: ensuring that no student, staff member, or family is placed in harm’s way.

Snow-day decisions are never made lightly; they are informed by a consistent set of safety-centered factors, examined through both an operational and equity lens.

Early this morning, members of our leadership and transportation teams were in communities across Prince George’s County and observed severe and persistent icing—particularly on sidewalks, secondary roads, and walking paths used by students. These conditions pose serious risks, especially for students who walk to school and for families traveling on untreated routes. Our assessments are intentionally designed to ensure that no community’s safety is treated as secondary.

In addition to outdoor conditions, we identified multiple buildings and surrounding communities affected by water main breaks and other facility-level issues that must be resolved before schools can safely reopen. We also closely monitored anticipated staff and bus driver attendance, recognizing that safe transportation, adequate staffing, and reliable building operations are essential to a successful school day.

No student or staff member should ever be asked to choose between safety and responsibility.

Taken together—conditions on the ground, building readiness, and transportation capacity—these factors led us to one unavoidable conclusion: opening schools today would have placed members of our community at unnecessary risk.

Today, our executive team and operational partners will continue this work in close coordination with county agencies, including the use of aerial assessments to ensure we have a clear and equitable view of roadway, sidewalk, and neighborhood conditions across the county. We are intentionally allowing time for snow and ice to melt and for county and school-based teams to continue clearing, repairing, and evaluating facilities so that when schools reopen, they will do so with confidence and care.

Emergency personnel and administrators will return to work today to ensure buildings are fully prepared for staff and student arrival on Tuesday, February 3. This includes verification of heat, water, accessibility, and overall building safety.

I want to express my deep gratitude to Prince George’s County Government and our labor partners for their collaboration throughout this weekend and into today. We have worked side by side—sharing information, weighing risks, and determining the safest path forward. This partnership is a strength.

In moments like these, we govern as one Prince George’s County, united by our shared commitment to children, families, and staff.

While safety must always come first, we remain equally clear about the importance of returning students to learning as soon as conditions allow. Our responsibility is to ensure that when students return to that space, it is safe, welcoming, and fully prepared to support their growth, dignity, and brilliance.

Based on continuing assessments, we will communicate an update on operating status for Tuesday, February 3, as evaluations are completed later this evening.

Thank you for your patience, your partnership, and your continued trust. We will continue to lead with transparency, care, and shared resolve, keeping our collective responsibility to children at the center of every decision.

With appreciation and resolve,

Shawn Joseph, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent