When inclement weather or an emergency occurs, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and working families is our top priority. To the greatest extent possible, the School District of Philadelphia strives to keep schools open for in-person learning to accelerate student achievement.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning which is in effect from 4am to 10pm on Friday, January 19. The Warning currently calls for heavy snow, with possible accumulations of 5 to 6 inches for the Philadelphia region. Accordingly, all District schools and Central Offices will be closed tomorrow, January 19. All after-school activities including all athletic programs and professional development sessions scheduled for Friday are canceled as well. All District early childhood centers will also be closed.

As a father of three children, I understand the importance of children having fun and experiencing joy, which is one of our Accelerate Philly core values. As we know, it’s been more than 700 days since we experienced snow, and now we are getting hit twice in one week.

This year, the District allotted one extra day in the school year calendar beyond the 180 required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which we will use as a snow day. Going forward, any school closures related to inclement weather will be remote learning days.

All staff designated as essential personnel during inclement weather will be contacted by their supervisor with reporting instructions, and will be compensated according to the provisions of their collective bargaining agreements, if applicable. If you have questions about your work schedule, please check with your supervisor.

Employees are urged to monitor the District Web site at www.philasd.org, the District’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/PhillySchools, or our Twitter feed @PHLschools for further details. Updated information will also be posted on the District’s Information Hotline at 215-400-INFO (4636).