Inclement Weather Decisions and Communications: 2025-26 School Year

As we head into the winter months, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has planned for the days when in-person instruction may not be possible. Our plan includes the notification process and the structure for learning in the event of inclement weather conditions. We are focused on supporting students to remain engaged in learning while also preserving any future days when schools may need to close for in-person learning. 

For the 2025-26 school year, staff and families should be prepared for virtual synchronous learning for students in grades three to 12 when we have a school closure due to inclement weather due to the school year calendar not allowing for any traditional snow days. Virtual synchronous instruction is live instruction that allows teachers to continue their current lessons in progress. Teachers should reinforce the content learned when students return to school for in-person instruction. In instances where the school division implements virtual asynchronous learning, students should continue working on assignments in progress using their ACPS Chromebook without requiring new learning.

Please note that students in grades K-2 will not take home Chromebooks during inclement weather events. K-2 students will bring home library books to read and receive choice board activities from their homeroom teacher for completion when schools are closed due to inclement weather conditions.

More information will be shared if schools need to close for more than one day. Please know that the school division will monitor any power outages and any other unforeseen circumstances prior to making a final decision.

Assessing Inclement Weather Conditions

When inclement weather — such as snow, ice or extreme cold temperatures — occurs, and buses cannot safely transport students to and from school, it may be necessary for ACPS to close school buildings and provide at-home virtual instruction under these circumstances. In addition, if conditions are too extreme for student walkers to make it to school safely, or too dangerous for staff to travel, the decision to provide at-home virtual instruction may also be made. The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority when considering school closures during a winter weather situation. We work in conjunction with the City of Alexandria emergency management staff to assess road and public sidewalk conditions and include school personnel in inspecting the conditions of bus travel routes, ACPS parking lots and bus lanes.

ACPS attempts to make school closure decisions the evening prior to a winter weather event, taking into consideration that families and staff need time to make proper arrangements. However, when there is a lot of uncertainty around a winter weather forecast, we will wait to get the latest morning forecast and road condition update from federal and state agencies, along with the City of Alexandria emergency management staff. When we are unable to make a decision the evening prior to the potential weather event, the superintendent will make the decision about whether to close school buildings and provide at-home virtual instruction for students by approximately 5 a.m. In either case, families and staff will receive regular updates via the ACPS website and ParentSquare.

Guidance on Instructional Supports for Synchronous & Asynchronous Learning

The Alexandria City Public Schools leadership team has revised its plan for inclement weather decisions and has made some adjustments to the instructional plans based on a variety of factors. The adjusted plans are outlined below:

Preparing for PreK-2 Instruction

Students in grades PreK-2 will not take home Chromebooks during inclement weather events. K-2 students will bring home library books to read and receive choice board activities from their homeroom teacher for completion when schools are closed due to inclement weather conditions.  

If additional copies of the choice board activities are needed families may retrieve a copy from one of the following partner sites:

• Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library
  5005 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22304
• Kate Waller Barret Branch Library
  717 Queen St., Alexandria, VA 22314
• Charles Houston Recreation Center
  901 Wythe St., Alexandria VA 22314
• Patrick Henry Recreation Center
  4653 Taney Ave., Alexandria, VA 22304
• William Ramsay Recreation Center
  5650 Sanger Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311
• Casa Chirilagua
  4109 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22305
• Community Lodgings
  607 Notabene Dr, Alexandria, VA 22305

Preparing for At-Home Virtual Instruction (Grades 3-12)

As a general practice, during the possibility of inclement weather being forecasted, it is highly recommended that students in Grades 3-12 take home their Chromebooks and instructional materials at the end of each school day. Elementary and secondary principals will give frequent reminders to students, staff and families. Asynchronous learning for our youngest learners may also include materials in addition to computers/devices. This will ensure that students have the necessary materials at home for virtual learning if schools must close due to inclement weather conditions.

Communication with Families and Staff

In the case of an inclement weather-related closing, families and staff will receive notifications via email and ParentSquare. This information will remain posted until normal operations have resumed. Additionally, the ACPS website, hotline and social media channels will include an alert with the appropriate information and ACPS will share information about inclement weather-related closings with local news outlets and community partners that provide after-school programming and/or child care. When ACPS schools are closed, families are encouraged to check directly with after-school and childcare providers (to include the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs - RPCA) as to the status of their operations since some providers offer their services at locations other than schools. We recommend that all ACPS staff and families download the ParentSquare app to get winter weather notifications and updates as soon as these are sent out by the school division.

Contact Information

For additional information or questions, please contact ask@acps.k12.va.us.