Code Orange Snow Days Will Mean Live Virtual Classes In Prince William Schools

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Code Orange snow days will include live, virtual learning this year for Prince William County students, the school system said Thursday.

In recent years, Code Orange days allowed students a day to catch up on work or complete assignments virtually and asynchronously. Prince William County school facilities do not open on Code Orange days.

The school system will still have Code Green and Code Red snow days, where there will be no in-person or virtual classes for students or teachers.

This year, classes will be live and virtual on Code Orange days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The school system announced the change in their virtual newsletter, "The Scoop!"

In Code Orange days, students will receive a one-hour lunch break. They will be required to have their cameras on, the school system said. Students will also have bathroom breaks built in between Zoom sessions.

The "Our Schools PWCS" Facebook group includes parents, Prince William County Schools employees, and community members.

In a recent post, many school employees said they were not notified of the change to Code Orange days.

One teacher noted that she doesn't know if her current internet would allow her to teach virtually as her four children attended Zoom classes. Another teacher said she was "sideswiped" by the change.

Many parents in the Facebook group said they would not comply with the change.

"My kids will be out in the snow, playing," Bradley Caricofe commented. Another parent said they would have their children practice math by measuring snow to make ice cream.

Patch reached out to Prince William County Schools, but has not heard back. The school system is closed on Friday in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

More information about Code Orange policies and expectations is available on the school system website.