WILLIAMSBURG — Williamsburg-James City County Schools Superintendent Daniel Keever addressed families and staff last week to explain the reasoning behind a week of weather-related closures and the transition to remote learning following prolonged icy conditions across the region.
In a video message to the school community, Keever said the division faced an “unusual ice event” over the weekend, followed by several consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures, a combination not commonly seen in the area. While Monday, Jan. 26, was already scheduled as a student holiday, the school division decided to close schools and offices to all staff due to hazardous conditions throughout the community.
As the week progressed, Keever said he received regular updates from the division’s operations team and personally assessed road conditions by driving throughout the district during both daytime and evening hours. While some areas experienced melting when sunlight reached pavement, other locations continued to present safety concerns.
“In other locations, however, the falling ice and refreezing runoff created persistent hazards, even in spaces our teams worked tirelessly to clear,” Keever said.
The district ultimately made the decision to transition to remote learning for the remainder of the week, citing inconsistent conditions across its 143-square-mile footprint. Keever emphasized that what may appear safe in one neighborhood can remain icy and dangerous in another, sometimes even within the same area.
Those varying conditions are especially significant, he said, when considering students walking to bus stops, staff commuting from outside the immediate area, and buses traveling early morning routes.
Keever said closure decisions are based on several factors, including current conditions, weather forecasts, road readiness and, most importantly, the safety of students and staff. While the division aims to communicate decisions as early as possible, he noted that accuracy and reliable information are critical before making a division wide call.
“Transparency means not only sharing what we decide, but why we make that decision,” he said.
The remote learning model used during the closures is part of the district’s closure contingency plan and is intended to keep students connected to learning when school buildings cannot safely open. Keever acknowledged that learning from home can be challenging for families balancing work, child care and daily routines, adding that remote learning is not the division’s preferred approach.
Keever closed by thanking the operations team, teachers, families and students for navigating the week’s challenges together and reiterated his commitment to transparency and two-way communication.
“I appreciate the feedback as we continue to navigate this together,” he said.
All WJCC Schools and offices returned to a normal schedule Monday, Feb. 2, after the area saw little significant accumulation from last weekend’s second round of winter weather. The division said WJCC teams and community partners assessed road conditions across the county over the weekend before reaching that decision. WJCC Schools also advised staff members and families to make the best choice to ensure their safety and the safety of their student(s) and family.
