Philly schools will have virtual instruction Thursday with freezing rain and ice forecasted. Here’s what other districts are doing.
Cherry Hill called a two-hour delay. Upper Darby schools will be fully virtual.
With winter weather expected to snarl Thursday morning commutes, a number of area districts have called for delays or virtual instruction days.
“Any type of snow or freezing rain accumulation that occurs between 5 a.m. up to 1 p.m. makes for potential unsafe travel for our buses, student walkers, and staff,” Upper Darby Superintendent Dan McGarry wrote in a message to families and staff Wednesday. “In preparation for possible freezing rain and ice accumulation, we are calling for a virtual day of instruction for Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.”
Upper Darby administrators prepped staff for the virtual day prior to leaving school on Wednesday, McGarry said.
Philadelphia School District on Wednesday called for a day of virtual instruction.
Cheltenham schools will be closed.
Lower Merion announced all schools will open two hours late, but the district will let families know by 7 a.m. Thursday if there is any further delay or closure.
» READ MORE: Snow and ice are possible Wednesday, and may affect the Thursday morning commute
In Bucks County, the Central Bucks School District announced that students would have a “Flexible Instruction Day,” completing work online; district officials said they are permitted to have up to five such days without making them up at the end of the year.
The Pennridge School District also said students would have virtual asynchronous instruction Thursday, completing assignments “at their own pace throughout the day.”
In South Jersey, Cherry Hill and Collingswood schools have called two-hour delays.
Other districts were still planning for school as usual Wednesday afternoon.
Lower Merion spokesperson Amy Buckman said the district “will have crews out on the road early tomorrow morning to assess the conditions and anticipate making a call around 5:15 a.m.”