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February 4, 2026
Hello FCPS Families,
I want to extend a huge thank you to all of you for your patience and flexibility as we welcomed students back to class yesterday. Learning happens best in community, and Fairfax County has shown over this last week what we can accomplish for our students by working together.
As we look to the rest of the week and the persistent presence of snow and ice on many of our sidewalks and bus stops, we feel the safest thing to do for our students and staff is to continue with our delayed start times.
This is why we are opening schools two hours late on Thursday, February 5, and Friday, February 6, 2026. Central and school offices will open on time Thursday and Friday. We plan to open schools on time next week. We will share updated information Sunday afternoon.
Delaying school start times by two hours the rest of the week will make sure students are traveling to school during daylight hours, maximizing safety as they navigate sidewalks and bus stops that still have ice and snow. We are a large county, and the safety conditions remain inconsistent across our more than 400 square miles.
The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled or delayed:
- Morning preschool and special education classes are canceled.
- Full-day preschool, special education, and Early Head Start/PreK classes start two hours later than the regular schedule.
- Morning field trips are canceled.
- Morning transportation for high school academy classes is canceled. Transportation will be provided for academy classes that start after 12:45 p.m.
- Adult High School and GED courses will start two hours later than the regular schedule.
- Homebound instruction will begin at 10 a.m.
School Age Child Care (SACC) and Beyond the Bell (BTB) centers will open at 8 a.m. Afternoon preschool classes will start on their regular schedule, and Adult and Community Education (ACE) classes will start on time.
Please continue to stay vigilant on your way to and from work, so as to provide students who ride the bus, walk, or use kiss-and-ride with the safest traveling conditions possible.
The Bus Delay website will share the latest information on the status of your child’s bus if it is more than 10 minutes late. Families will also receive an email if a bus is more than 30 minutes late.
If you feel that your child is still safest staying home, please make sure to call your child’s school to get an excused absence
Additional updates will be available on the FCPS website and the FCPS mobile app.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Michelle C. Reid
Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools
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