JC and Harford County Public Schools follow the same decisions for all inclement weather updates. However, JC has the ability to become independent from their decisions and make their own calls based on their own concerns of inclement weather.

Although this rarely happens, the JC administration needs to consider making this independent decision more often.
JC is attended by students from all over, including a large number of students outside of Harford County. Unlike Harford County Public Schools where most students live within a few minute radius of the school, some students may even live up to one hour away.

For example, during the January 8 snowstorm, multiple students could not physically make it to school due to weather and road conditions. Conditions also made it dangerous for many students to get to school, especially newer drivers.

However, HCPS still had school in session after calling a two hour delay. Although all of Harford County didn’t necessarily have terrible conditions, many students in Cecil County or Jarrettsville, areas that had been hit harder, were not able to attend school that day.
On that day 59 students were absent, including many seniors. This resulted in 15% of the student population not being able to attend school simply because of a decision made by Harford County.

On days such as the January 8 snow event, it would have been a much wiser and safer decision for JC to cancel school in order to protect the safety of their students, staff and administration. In situations such as this, JC needs to consider making decisions independently from HCPS.

The administration needs to remember the fact that Harford County decisions affect only some of JC students.