December 7, 2025
Good evening, PGCPS Families and Staff,
As we enter the winter season, a time of year when the weather can affect how our schools operate, I want to explain how we make the important decision to close or delay school due to inclement weather.
First, safety is always our first priority, and our decisions to delay or close school are made to protect our entire community—including students, staff, and families—when hazardous weather, such as snow, ice, or a wintry mix, is forecasted for our area.
While we understand these decisions can be disruptive for families, safety remains at the center of our process. These forms of precipitation can drastically change road conditions quickly and create dangerous driving conditions across our county, as well as affect conditions at our buildings, bus stops, and other areas, so we make choices that reflect our commitment to safety above all else.
Before we decide to adjust our operations or close, we consult multiple trusted sources of weather information in the days and hours before a weather event begins, including the local National Weather Service in nearby Wakefield, and reports from meteorologists from our local television stations, who all have access to valuable modeling information and forecasts to inform our decisions. These sources provide key context as we evaluate the timing of the storm and other factors, including temperature, precipitation type, and more, particularly for storms that may impact student pick-up and drop-off and the morning and evening commutes for staff, like we commonly see in our area.
Using this information, alongside consulting with our safety and transportation staff, and local public safety representatives, where applicable, our goal is to share our operational plans in a timely manner so families and staff can make decisions that support their individual needs. In some cases, particularly when forecasts are more uncertain, PGCPS may wait for more updated forecasts and reports to ensure we make the most informed and, most importantly, safe decision for our community. Our choices to delay or close may differ from those of our neighbors, but please be assured that we are making decisions that keep our community's safety at the forefront.
Once this decision is made, we immediately begin reaching out to our community via ParentSquare phone calls, emails, and text messages, and sharing our operating status on our digital spaces and with our media partners.
Finally, the decision to delay or close school also considers the impact on instruction. Unplanned closures due to weather can disrupt learning, which is why our annual calendar is built with inclement weather in mind. Every year, our academic calendar is designed with time built into the first and second semesters to accommodate potential inclement-weather closures, delayed starts, or early releases.
As I said earlier in this message, any decision to adjust our operations is made with safety first and foremost, considering our students, staff, and families, as well as the potential risks posed by inclement weather.
We know that schedule changes can be challenging, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to make the safest decisions for our students and staff. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Wayne Lyle
Superintendent
Prince George County Public Schools