Dear School District of Philadelphia community,
Forecasters are predicting that Philadelphia will receive significant snowfall this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch which is in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026. The storm could produce as much as 18 inches of snow, and a cold weather advisory is also in effect.
With that in mind, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution all School District of Philadelphia schools (including the District’s Early Childhood Centers) and the Constance E. Clayton Education Center (Central Office) will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026. All after-school activities including all athletic programs and professional development sessions scheduled for Monday are canceled as well.
After Monday, if schools need to remain closed due to inclement weather, students will participate in remote learning from home. District employees will work remotely as well.
The anticipation of this much snow, while it comes with challenges, can also be exciting. I know from experience that snow days offer an opportunity to get outside and go sledding, build a snowman, or have a friendly snowball fight. These activities bring a lot of joy – one of our Accelerate Philly core values. And so I encourage families to embrace this opportunity to build memories together, while exercising appropriate caution during winter weather conditions.
To the greatest extent possible, we strive to keep schools open for in-person learning to accelerate student achievement. And so we are closely monitoring weather conditions across our region, in accordance with the District’s Inclement Weather Protocol. We hope to be able to return to normal operations on Tuesday, January 27. Should there be any changes to this schedule, we will communicate through our standard channels.
Wishing all our young people a safe and fun day!
In partnership,
Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia