UPDATE: All Howell Schools Closed

(A sparrow sits in the falling snow Thursday afternoon. Credit: Karen Wall)

UPDATE, 7:30 a.m.: High school students from Howell are off today, after the Freehold Regional High School District closed schools due to the lingering effects of the storm.

The accumulating snow that had dropped 8 inches on Howell and the surrounding area as of 6:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, led to school closures for some students and delayed openings for others for Friday.

Howell Township Public Schools officials closed the elementary and middle schools due to the snow and anticipated road conditions. “All after-school and evening activities for Friday have been canceled. All PAL activities, including those at Southard School, will be closed on Friday.

Additionally, PARCC testing for fifth- and sixth-graders will resume on Monday, the announcement said. An adjusted testing schedule for Grades 3-8 has been posted on the district website, www.howell.k12.nj.us.

Students now face a later end to the year in June to meet the 180-day minimum, as the district already used up the three snow days it had built into the school calendar.

High school students, however, will be in class Friday, at least as of 8 p.m. Thursday, as the Freehold Regional High School District announced a 90-minute delayed opening.

Early schools (Freehold, Howell, Manalapan) will begin at 9 a.m., while late schools (Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Marlboro) will begin at 9:55 a.m.

“We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the night,” the announcement said. “In the event of an additional change in schedule for March 6th, we will utilize this website, our automated calling system, our Facebook page, and our mobile app to alert our community.”

Seniors scheduled to take the HSPA will now test on Monday, the announcement said.