Skip to main content

A Message from Interim Superintendent Larry A. Bowers

MCPS Students Will Return to School on Monday

Dear MCPS Community,

I had hoped that we would be able to open Montgomery County Public Schools on Friday, but continued snow removal efforts will prevent opening for students. State and county crews need more time to remove snow from our roadways to make it possible for our 1,200 buses to safely complete their routes and for neighborhoods to clear sidewalks for students. As a result of the continued challenges of snow removal, all schools will be closed on Friday, January 29, 2016. All school and community activities in school buildings also are canceled. All administrative offices will be open on time. Day care programs in school buildings will remain open as scheduled.

All MCPS and community use activities on Saturday and Sunday will proceed as scheduled. We will reopen schools on Monday, February 1, to begin the second semester. It will be a regular day of instruction, with any secondary make-up exams administered during the day. I anticipate that bus travel will still be challenging on Monday and walking routes to school also may still be difficult. As a result, I am asking parents and community members to use extreme caution when driving to ensure the safety of our students.

Once again, I am asking for community members to clear snow away from bus stops and residential sidewalks to assist our children in making their way to school.

Free Lunch Available for Students at 12 School Locations

Students eating lunch We will continue to offer free lunch for our students while schools are closed. The following MCPS locations will be offering free lunches to all students on Friday, January 29:

  • Sargent Shriver Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Gaithersburg Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
  • Clopper Mill Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Arcola Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Greencastle Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Harmony Hills Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Washington Grove Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Whetstone Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • New Hampshire Estates Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Roscoe Nix Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Capt. James Daly Elementary School between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.

Your child does not have to attend school at one of the locations to receive a lunch, and no identification is required.

I want to thank you for your patience during this weather emergency. We look forward to resuming normal operations next week and getting our children back in the classroom!

Sincerely,

Larry A. Bowers
Interim Superintendent of Schools