Student Safety in Preparation to Return to School Following Inclement Weather Closures

February 1st, 2026

The information below is provided in an effort to ensure student safety during winter weather. Additional guidance on student safety in winter weather is available online.

HCPSS Operations staff, County partners and neighborhood communities have worked extremely hard all week and over the weekend to clear parking lots, paths, and sidewalks. However, less than ideal surface conditions remain across the county due to the large buildup of snow and ice and consistently below freezing temperatures that have made cleanup unusually difficult.

Students should take great care and extra precautions when walking on pathways, sidewalks, boarding/exiting buses and cars, and maneuvering through parking lots, including using designated crosswalks and staying alert. Parents/guardians may remind children about the dangers of stepping or walking on any water that has iced over. It is not possible to tell how much weight ice can withstand, and ice cracking/breaking can result in serious injuries.

Families are encouraged to ensure students are appropriately dressed for the cold weather, including wearing multiple layers of loose-fitted clothing, and covering heads, hands, and faces to minimize skin exposure.

All drivers should use caution and especially new student drivers. Families that receive bus transportation are encouraged to utilize it to minimize accidents, and to reduce traffic on school campuses since entrances, lanes and parking lots are narrower than when under normal conditions. Schools will convey any specific changes to drop off/pick up procedures.