The anticipation mounts; students wear their pajamas inside out and sleep with a spoon under their pillow. When they wake up in the morning, they flip on their TVs and check their emails hoping to hear the good news.

But on Feb. 20, there was a surprise. Though CESJDS’s policy is to follow Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on the first day of a weather event, JDS began on time that day despite an MCPS two hour delay.

This situation was exceptional as the cancellation was due to the extraordinarily cold weather, and not due to icy precipitation or snow. According to Head of School Mitchel Malkus, contrary to popular student belief, the county had a delay because of a mechanical issue with their buses that did not affect JDS. The bus problem was not relevant to JDS and the cold weather was not deemed a significant issue, so school started on time.

“There wasn’t any benefit to us,” Malkus said. “Most of our students don’t sit on the corner waiting for their buses.”

Students expressed confusion when JDS did not follow the policy, regardless of whether or not they believed it was the right decision.

Sophomore Aviva Solkowitz believes that JDS should not have violated school policy and that there should have been a delay on the day in question.

“I do not think it was the right call; first of all I think that they should have gone with MCPS. Yes, more kids in public schools walk to school, but there are teachers and students who walk to school,” Solkowitz said. “Second of all they didn’t follow MCPS on the first day like they promised in their handbook.”

As students questioned the break in policy, the consideration of a policy change arises. Malkus, however, has maintained that the school’s current policy of following MCPS is ideal. One major factor is the fact that when the county makes a decision regarding inclement weather, they are able to utilize far more resources than JDS could.

“They have people on the ground all throughout the county who are updating them about all of the weather conditions, particularly the road conditions, Malkus said. “They have access to the weather service in a way that we don’t. They consult with the county itself about plows and things like that.”

For the near future at least, students can expect JDS’s policy to stay the same.

“I want to be clear, we are not considering a change right now,” Malkus said “It’s just that, as we do with any policy, we are asking ‘does the policy best fit the needs of our community.’”