Winter weather has once more brought Houston-area school schedules to a screeching halt. As families and educators navigate the icy conditions left in the wake of a two-day winter storm, the snow's retreat raises the question of when the pause on education will end.
Many district campuses are strategizing their re-openings, while some continue to prioritize safety in the face of persistent icy roads. Houston ISD and several other districts are set to roll back into operation, albeit with changes. According to Click2Houston, Barbers Hill ISD aims to tentatively open with a two-hour delay this morning. Similarly, Harmony Public Schools intend to resume normal schedules yet have called off extra-curricular activities.
Some institutions, however, are choosing to keep their doors sealed for a day more. KHOU reports that Crosby ISD, Dayton ISD, East Chambers ISD, Hardin ISD, and Liberty ISD have all announced closures for today. In an effort to not hastily forge ahead, these districts have prioritized the ongoing safety concerns of road conditions for students and staff alike.
Higher education is also adapting to this icy spell. Prairie View A&M University is planning to open with a two-hour delay, adjusting arrival time for staff, faculty, and students to 10 a.m. Rice University looks to sidestep the issue altogether, announcing an operation shift to remote status for the time being. The recent weather has illustrated yet again how swiftly nature can overrule even the most steadfast of human schedules—and districts react just as swiftly to bridge the gap to normalcy, ensuring that safety remains atop the priority list.
