By Noel Rosendorf ’17

Montgomery County Public Schools has been closed for six days because of the recent snow storms, but only has four inclement weather days built into its calendar. As of now, two days will be added onto the school year based on a contingency calendar which extends the school year as a result how many snow days are used. If the state grants a waiver for the snow days, school will end on Friday June 17. If there is no waiver, school will end on Tuesday June 21.

In prior years, MCPS has been granted a waiver when there was a state of emergency declared during a snowstorm. In the January snowstorm, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency from January 22 to January 29. MCPS has not announced if it requested a waiver due to the state of emergency.

Neighboring counties have different ways to make up for snow days. Howard County Public Schools does not have any snow days built into their school calendar. They add days to the end of the school year to make up for instructional days lost. Fairfax County Public Schools are given 12 inclement weather days before they must make up missed instructional time.