School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton launched her reelection bid last week with a pledge to fight for students — and against the Trump administration.
“We’re all feeling the impact of this administration’s attacks on our values. We will not back down,” Zecher Sutton said during Wednesday remarks to about 200 people at the monthly Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting.
Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán stands behind decisions to keep classrooms shuttered for more than a week after last month’s snowstorm, but acknowledges shortcomings in the school system’s approach.
Durán said he and other school leaders should have done a better job at keeping the community informed on the reasons behind their decisions.
For the first time in nearly two weeks, Arlington’s public schools will be opening on time tomorrow and Friday.
“All schools and offices will open on time Thu, Feb. 5 and Fri, Feb. 6, 2026,” Arlington Public Schools said in a brief announcement Wednesday afternoon.
Arlington Public Schools will open on a two hour delay Wednesday, the school system just announced.
It’s the second consecutive delay, after five snow days following the previous weekend’s winter storm. While today offered some above-freezing temperatures and melting, many sidewalks remain snow- and ice-covered in Arlington, prompting continued caution by school administrators.
School buses are crisscrossing county streets and students are steeling themselves for the first day of school in 11 days.
Yes, class is back in session this morning for Arlington Public Schools students, to the great relief of many beleaguered parents.
The decision to keep schools shuttered all last week, while piles of “snowcrete” covered the sidewalks (and in some cases, roads) near schools, prompted acceptance from some and grumbles from others. Why, some asked, had conditions around schools not been addressed earlier in the week, potentially making it harder to clear now?
The grumbles grew louder this week, amid Monday’s closure and today’s two-hour delay. Some questioned whether it’s even safe now for kids to go back.
“As of 7:30 A.M. there is no safe approach to Claremont Elementary or Wakefield High School from S Columbus St.,” local resident Joel Weger wrote this morning. “There has been no snow cleared on S. Chesterfield Rd for the entire length of school property. For Claremont snow has been cleared from only one side of the school.”
That was echoed by another local resident who lives near Wakefield.
“I’m not a parent but I see the kids walking to school everyday and parents taking their littles ones to the bus pick up spots,” wrote Julia Itani. “While walking my dog in the neighborhood there were many times I almost fell and we couldn’t walk safely. I can’t imagine students walking every morning while there’s piles of ice.”
Others suggested that a loss of learning outweighs what they see as marginal safety improvements from keeping schools closed longer. Even today’s delay was too much for some.
“I am writing to express my deep disappointment and continued frustration with the county’s repeated school closures and delayed openings due to snow and ice,” wrote Gregory Cohen, a “concerned and gobsmacked parent,” in an email this morning. It was one of several addressed to the County Board and School Board that ARLnow was CCed on in recent days.
“From a parent’s perspective, these decisions do not appear to be data-driven, outcome-oriented, or transparent. Delays in particular seem to accomplish little beyond creating unnecessary hardship for working families,” Cohen wrote. “A two-hour delay does not meaningfully improve road conditions, does not reduce childcare challenges, and often results in the same ultimate outcome: lost instructional time with no measurable safety benefit.”
What do you think — did APS strike the right balance by staying closed for five school days (Friday was a scheduled off day) and opening on a delay today? (Neighboring Fairfax notably took the same approach.)
Or should schools have opened up earlier? Or stayed closed longer? Let us know below.
Arlington Public Schools will operate at a two-hour delay tomorrow (Tuesday), sending students back to school for the first time in more than a week.
The delay will allow bus riders to arrive at their stops in daylight and provides more time to travel to school, APS said. The school system has been closed for ice and snow since last Monday.
After being closed all last week, Arlington Public Schools are set for at least one more snow day.
APS announced around 4 p.m. Sunday that schools will be closed again on Monday. But relief may be in sight for beleaguered parents.
A “full-scale emergency response exercise” will be taking place at Wakefield High School and Carlin Springs Elementary School tomorrow (Friday).
Emergency responders and vehicles will be present at Carlin Springs Elementary and nearby Kenmore Middle School from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. as personnel coordinate responses to a simulated act of violence.
School Board members are giving themselves extra time before making final decisions on rearranging the locations of some non-traditional secondary programs.
Rather than being taken up the first week of February, as would be the typical cycle following its Jan. 22 presentation as an information item, final discussion and vote will be taken two weeks later.
Arlington is well-positioned to withstand any national upticks in measles cases, but it can’t become complacent, the county’s public health director says.
Arlington students have a 97.5% vaccination rate against the highly contagious disease, compared to 93.9% statewide and 92.5% nationally, according to data presented to County Board members on Tuesday.
Tomorrow (Thursday) is another snow day at Arlington Public Schools, meaning students won’t attend school at all this week.
The school system announced the closure this afternoon, noting “hazardous conditions” on sidewalks, parking lots and other areas.
Arlington Public Schools students will have a third consecutive snow day tomorrow (Wednesday) and no waste collection will take place as icy conditions continue.
“Freezing temperatures and icy roads, parking lots and sidewalks continue to make travel unsafe,” APS said in an announcement this afternoon. “Student and staff safety remains our top priority.”
