Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS) has announced the closure of all schools and offices for tomorrow, Monday, January 6, 2025. The decision, which affects over 23,000 students and 31 schools across the county, was shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The post reads:
“All Spotsylvania County Public Schools campuses and offices are closed on Monday, January 6, 2025. All school sponsored activities including student externships are cancelled. School employees: Code 0 – no employees report.”
The closure also halts all school-sponsored activities, including student externships, for the day. No details regarding the reason for the closure were provided in the announcement.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools is one of the largest school systems in the region, with a diverse student population spanning elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as specialty and alternative education programs.
For updates on reopening and any additional information, families and staff are encouraged to monitor SCPS’s social media platforms and official website.
Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS) has announced that all schools will be closed on Monday, January 6, due to the impending winter storm expected to bring heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions to the area. The announcement was made on the school division’s official account on X, formerly Twitter.
“Fredericksburg City Public Schools will extend winter break by one day. This means all buildings will be closed on Monday, January 6. Tuesday, January 7, will be a staff workday. Students will report to school on Wednesday, January 8,” the statement read.
The decision affects approximately 3,600 students enrolled across five schools in the division, including Hugh Mercer Elementary, Lafayette Upper Elementary, Walker-Grant Middle School, James Monroe High School, and the Walker-Grant Early Childhood Learning Center.
The extended closure allows additional time for crews to clear snow and ensure facilities are safe for staff and students to return. The school division also noted that Tuesday, January 7, will serve as a staff workday, providing educators with an opportunity to prepare for the reopening on Wednesday.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor the FCPS website and social media channels for further updates.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Fredericksburg region, with snowfall expected to begin Sunday evening and continue into Monday. Snowfall totals could range from 4 to 10 inches, with localized areas seeing higher amounts. Icy roads and freezing temperatures are anticipated to persist into Tuesday, potentially impacting travel and school operations.
FCPS joins several other school divisions in Northern Virginia that have announced closures ahead of the storm. Residents are advised to stay off the roads and exercise caution during the severe weather.
Regular classes will begin on Monday, January 13. In an earlier version of this post, we incorrectly reported that classes would be canceled on Monday, January 6.
The Sunday, January 5, 2024 message stated:
“Due to the forecasted winter storm later today, Sunday, January 5, 2025, all UMW campuses (Fredericksburg, Stafford, Dahlgren) will be closed all day Monday, January 6.”
UMW is home to approximately 4,000 undergraduate students and 600 graduate students, with campuses located in Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Dahlgren. The university comprises three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, and the College of Business. UMW is known for its strong emphasis on liberal arts and personalized learning experiences.
The closure affects all classes, campus events, and administrative operations across the university. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to stay safe and monitor UMW’s social media channels and website for further updates on campus operations and weather conditions.
No announcements have been made regarding rescheduling classes or events impacted by the closure. Additional updates are expected as the storm progresses.
King George County Public Schools announced that all schools in the division will be closed on Monday, January 6, 2025, in anticipation of inclement weather. The announcement was made via X, formerly known as Twitter, citing concerns for the safety of students and staff.
The message stated:
“Due to the anticipated inclement weather forecast for tomorrow, January 6, King George County Schools will be closed. Code 1 for 12-month employees (do not report). Please stay safe and warm, and enjoy the extra time at home.”
King George County Public Schools serve approximately 4,400 students across five schools, including three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The school division employs over 300 teachers and staff, working together to support the academic and personal growth of students in the community.
No information has been provided yet about potential make-up days or updates for extracurricular activities scheduled for Monday. Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor the school division’s social media channels and website for further updates.
Stay tuned for more details as this story develops.
Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) has announced the closure of all schools and buildings for Monday, January 6, 2025, due to the forecast of snow and ice overnight. This decision also extends to canceling all activities and events scheduled for Monday.
SCPS, one of Virginia’s largest school divisions, serves approximately 31,000 students across 33 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools. The division emphasized that safety remains the top priority, urging residents to stay off the roads if possible.
In a statement posted to Facebook, SCPS said, “With snow & ice expected tonight, all Stafford County schools and buildings will be closed Mon., Jan. 6. All activities and events are also canceled. Safety is our priority—stay off roads if possible. We’ll reassess conditions tomorrow and share updates about the rest of the week as soon as possible. Stay safe & warm!”
School officials plan to evaluate weather conditions on Monday and provide updates regarding the remainder of the week as soon as they are available.
The Stafford County Public Schools Career Pathways Program creates new opportunities for students to explore career possibilities, acquire real-world skills, and prepare for workforce or higher education success. Open to rising ninth graders and high school students; this initiative provides a wide array of specialty centers and pathways that cater to diverse interests and aspirations.
The Career Pathways Program is designed to align with the Stafford County School Board's strategic plan by offering thematic specialty centers at local high schools. Each center focuses on specific career fields, ensuring students receive tailored education and experiences. For example:
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Stephanie Soliven, Ed.D., associate superintendent for teaching and learning at PWCS, said in the Dec. 4 School Board meeting that it'll be a helpful tool for students and parents alike.
"Through our approaches at making more tools available for students, further connection with parents and continuing the professional learning journey of our teachers and our staff, we are targeting every available option to support our student learning needs," she said. Soliven said students can also take additional courses through Varsity Tutors, either to advance in a subject or to discover new courses that may not be offered in PWCS. "You may have that fifth grader that is super excited about advanced math in sixth grade, but a little nervous about some of the skills and content — but they know they want to be on that advanced trajectory — they can do some additional coursework," she said. "[There's] a huge range of really cool high interest classes. I think this is so important because it fills some of that need at home for some of our students that maybe are missing out on some key skills, want to do some additional enrichment opportunities and can't do it in the school day." Soliven also emphasized that this service pairs students with human tutors. Students will be able to log into the platform, discuss the problem and then get paired with a person who can help them tackle it. "The live tutor is sharing a whiteboard with the student and literally mapping out the questions and the problems with them. It is not [artificial intelligence]," she said. "It is a human being on the other end guiding the students through the steps." Varsity Tutors also offers on-demand essay review, live group classes, self-study, college and career readiness and celebrity-led classes. PWCS School Board At-Large Chair Dr. Babur Lateef echoed the positives about the new service. "I can be a personal advocate on the fact that Varsity Tutors does a terrific job," Lateef said during the meeting on Dec. 4. "My kids have used them for many years. They are incredible and really work well." MCPS School Board Chair Suzanne Seaberg said she's excited for Varsity Tutors to make an impact in the district. "We are excited to partner with Varsity Tutors. This opportunity enables us to provide extra services for students so they can reach higher academic goals," Seaberg said in an email.
At its Dec. 10 meeting, the Manassas City School Board heard from Craig Gfeller, deputy superintendent, about the potential partnership and what it means for the district.
University Instructors was founded in 1994 in Richmond to provide one-on-one private mentoring by connecting students to tutors from local universities. The program expanded later in the 1990s once state test scores improved in Richmond City Public Schools, the company's website states. Now, UI works in 56 districts across the Commonwealth, including Loudoun County.
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According to a presentation given at the Dec. 4 PWCS School Board meeting, 15.4% of students are considered chronically absent as of Oct. 31, which marked the end of the first quarter. In the 2023-24 school year at the same time, only 14.7% of students were considered chronically absent.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more or 18 days of school for an enrolled student by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Excused and unexcused absences count toward the chronic absenteeism rate.
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"This is a game-changer for MWES! It allows us to enhance our security system, which will make our school a safer place for everyone," Danna Johnson, the MWES principal, said. "This investment will give our entire school community peace of mind and continue to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing not only a nurturing environment for our students, but a safe and secure one as well."
This grant is part of a statewide initiative from the VDOE to increase school safety. The VDOE has allocated $12 million in grant funding to 472 schools across the Commonwealth. In late November, two Manassas City Public Schools (Round and Haydon Elementary) received $250,000 — the highest amount of grant money possible for one school district, according to a VDOE release.
