Charles County Public Schools started the day with a two-hour delayed opening and dismissed students 90 minutes early due to icy roads and scattered power outages at schools.

Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill made the decision around 4:30 a.m. to delay the opening of schools on Monday, Dec. 9, due to icy road conditions. At that time, transportation employees had checked road conditions and building service managers reported that all schools had electrical power as they began preparing sidewalks and parking lots for the arrival of students and staff.

After students began arriving, a number of schools began reporting power outages. More than one half of the system’s 35 schools and five centers lost power at one time or another during the morning. Buses also had issues as tree limbs blocked some roads.

During the morning, school administrators checked with principals and food service personnel to ensure an alternate lunch could be served and sufficient water was available at schools that had lost power. Twelve schools and the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building were without power from around 9 a.m. to noon. Hill said principals adjusted schedules, limited movement of students for safety reasons and combined classes where possible to provide students more light.

When it became apparent that power to the schools was inconsistent and there was no prediction when power would be restored, the decision was made around 11:45 a.m. to close schools 90 minutes early. Seven of the 12 schools without power rely on electricity for their water supply.

School administrators made the decision to close schools early based on the health needs of students at all schools. “Frankly, we didn’t know where the next tree may fall or when another school would be left without water or power,” Hill said.

“I know that schedule changes are disruptive, but we make our decisions in the best interest of all of the students in our system and the safety of kids in our schools,” Hill said.

For the most up-to-date school closing/delay information, call the school system’s 24-hour information line at 301-934-7410 or visit www.ccboe.com.