Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, when Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) students and staff members woke up, the streets were filled with snow and slick conditions.

Many students did expect a delay.

Everyone thought that the roads would be okay to drive on since FCPS didn’t close schools or call for a delay– however students and residents in the Brunswick community and across Frederick county experienced dangerous driving conditions arriving to school.

In order for FCPS to call any school delay, early dismissal, or school closing, central office has to look at several different factors.

These factors could include an FCPS Department of Transportation who sends employees out into the county on days of bad weather to look at conditions of the roads. This includes conditions like bus transportation for pick up and drop off for afternoon conditions as well.

Furthermore, the superintendent, Dr. Dyson, must approve and share the decision by 5:30 a.m.

In the past the central office has made some great calls which in the long run protect students’ safety arriving to school, but there have also been some questionable calls.

FCPS students and staff have noticed inconsistencies in calls being made for weather closings this week. Tuesday, Dec. 2, was a closing for freezing rain but it was also a scheduled early dismissal for midterm, thus making a school closure the only viable option for FCPS.

Friday morning provided a different scenario for weather closing options. Roads were covered in light snow and ice causing hazardous driving conditions.

Around 7:30 a.m., Brunswick community members were informed of a bus accident in the area with bus number B-3 and another vehicle.

Thankfully, communication was shared through email and a Find Out First text, that no one was hurt. However, the accident caused distress among students and their families.

Additionally, multiple students and staff members shared how their cars were sliding on the roads or saw others swerve near them on their way to Brunswick High School (BHS).

Graham Markham, senior at BHS, shared, “[Roads] were pretty bad. I was stuck behind a snow plow, and lights were flashing so I couldn’t see the lines on the road, alongside the heavy traffic everyone was stuck in.”

Several students also shared how their friends were in accidents on the roads and also in the BHS parking lot. Dangerous driving conditions were not only limited to students but staff and other members of Frederick county as well.

At BHS, multiple staff members got into accidents on the roads, some of them being serious.

Furthermore, the decision to leave schools open caused severe delays with students’ arrival to school at all levels.

Bryce Smith, an eighth grader at Brunswick Middle, shared how his bus was supposed to pick him up for school around 7:15 a.m., however it didn’t show up until 45 minutes later.

In addition, there was a huge delay in students’ arrival because busses were either very late or didn’t show up.

For example, Jaimee Fogle, a BHS sophomore, experienced bus transportation issues and arrived at school almost two hours late.

“This morning, I was waiting for 20 to 30 minutes for my bus, but it never came,” Fogle said. “I had to go on my brother’s bus to the middle school. Then once the bus dropped him and others off, then the driver dropped me off at the high school around 9:00 a.m.”

Other students then had trouble not only getting to BHS, but then to CTC in downtown Frederick.

The bad weather not only affected BHS but other areas of FCPS.

Some students that are districted to go to Tuscarora High School (THS) were not able to attend school today because their busses were severely late or didn’t show up.

A student from THS shared, “My roads haven’t been plowed and on new design road there were accidents,” they said, “My parents said that it wasn’t worth getting in an accident for school, so I didn’t go today.”

FCPS students and staff are having to face the results of a decision to not close or delay schools. FCPS did put out a statement sharing that they understand the situation at hand.As well as reminding everyone to drive to and home from school safely.

*If you do not feel safe driving to and/or home from school, please stay home because FCPS does not want anyone’s safety to be at risk.

If you or your family want to provide your input and thoughts with the Board of Education (BOE) you can email them at [email protected] and Kathryn Rich, the executive Assistant to the BOE at [email protected].