PGCPS Snowstorm Update: Prince George’s County Schools Shut Down Through Thursday—Latest Schedule, Remote Learning & Make-Up Days Explained

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) will remain in Code Yellow status through Friday, Jan. 30, with all schools and offices closed as crews clear lingering snow and ice from this weekend’s powerful winter storm. District leaders made the rare decision to announce multiple snow days at once, telling families on Monday that in-person classes would not resume until at least Thursday because 200 campuses and neighborhood roads needed extensive cleanup. Interim Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph said the early call was meant to reduce uncertainty for roughly 133,000 students and 20,000 employees. Snowstorm aftermath: why the closure is lasting all week • Roads and sidewalks in southern parts of the county remain slick, making it unsafe for the 30,000–40,000 students who walk to school daily. • Bus routes traverse secondary streets that county plows have not yet reached. • Maintenance teams need extra time to clear parking lots, entrances and emergency exits at every building. Free meal pickup sites open Thursday To ensure students still receive nutritious food, PGCPS will distribute two days’ worth of grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches on Thursday, Jan. 29, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at six locations: Drew-Freeman MS, Fairmont Heights HS, Greenbelt MS, Laurel HS, Surrattsville HS and Sonia Sotomayor MS@Adelphi. Families should bring a student ID or report-card copy; parents may pick up meals without children present. What about virtual learning? Unlike neighboring districts, PGCPS will not switch to remote instruction this week. Officials cited limited preparation time, device distribution challenges and the likelihood that power or internet outages would disproportionately affect vulnerable students. Transportation and extracurricular updates • All athletic events, rehearsals and evening programs are canceled through Friday. • Field trips scheduled for Jan. 29–30 will be rescheduled; coordinators will share new dates next week. • The district’s Chipmunk bus-tracking app will send push notifications once routes are reactivated. How parents can stay informed 1. Sign up for text and email alerts via SchoolMessenger on the PGCPS website. 2. Follow @PGCPS on X, Facebook and Instagram for live updates. 3. Check the PGCPS snow-removal progress map published each evening. Looking ahead: a new communication playbook Dr. Joseph said that when future storms threaten several instructional days, PGCPS plans to announce multi-day closures up front. “We’re committed to helping families plan better,” he told WTOP, adding that daily 4 a.m. road surveys will continue to guide decisions about reopening. Make-up days and the academic calendar The district has three built-in snow days; any additional closures will push the school year beyond its current June 12 end date. An updated calendar will be presented to the Board of Education in February. Key takeaway PGCPS closures now extend through Friday as the county digs out from a major snowstorm. Families should leverage district-provided resources, monitor official channels and expect further guidance on make-up days once conditions improve.