School Closings Today: Blizzard Forces Widespread Shutdowns Across the Tri-State
A major winter storm on Monday, Feb. 23 left districts across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut closing their doors, with districts issuing school closings today as blizzard conditions made travel hazardous. The shutdowns are significant for families and staff because the storm brought heavy snowfall, strong winds and risks of power outages and coastal flooding through Monday afternoon.
School Closings Today — Development details
Officials warned that the storm could drop up to two feet of snow in some locations and expected blizzard conditions to continue through Monday afternoon, with the worst of the weather easing before the evening rush. New York City Public Schools called what city leadership described as an all-school snow day — the first such closure since 2019. The state Education Department granted waivers that allow districts to close on Monday without providing remote instruction and without automatically being required to make up the day later; the waivers relate to the standard requirement that schools be in session for 180 days to receive full state aid.
On Long Island, virtually all public and private schools announced closures for Monday. Specific New York districts and institutions listed as closed include Ardsley Union Free School District; Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District; the Center for Disabilities locations in Hicksville and Woodbury; Half Hollow Hills School District; Haverstraw-Stony Point School District; Islip School District; Locust Valley School District; Newburgh City School District; Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District; Poughkeepsie City School District; Rockville Centre School District; and Roosevelt Union Free School District.
While the majority of schools canceled in-person classes, a small number planned to offer remote instruction. Those using remote learning on Monday included St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington; St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip; St. Patrick Religious Education and St. Patrick School in Bay Shore; The Hagedorn Little Village School and Toddler Time in Seaford; Upper Room Christian School in Dix Hills; St. Joseph's University in Patchogue; and SUNY Old Westbury.
Context and escalation
The blizzard stretched along the East Coast from Baltimore to Boston and intensified over the weekend, prompting widespread preemptive closures on Sunday evening ahead of the storm's Monday peak. Long Island officials described the event as a dangerous winter storm with very strong winds and heavy snow, and the decision to close was framed as a public-safety measure because of anticipated hazardous travel, the potential for power outages and coastal flooding.
Municipal and school leaders pointed to recent disruptions earlier in the season as part of their planning. Many districts had already closed on Jan. 26 after nearly a foot of snow fell across the region, and some districts signaled that they have exhausted available built-in snow days for the academic calendar.
Immediate impact
The immediate effects reached students, educators and commuters. K–12 schools, preschools and colleges across the island and broader Tri-State region sent students home or canceled in-person learning for Monday, with virtual instruction limited to a defined list of institutions. Travel became dangerous due to heavy snow and high winds, stranding commuters and elevating the risk of secondary incidents. Officials also warned of potential localized power outages tied to the storm, and coastal communities were put on alert for flooding during the high-wind event.
Local decisions varied by district: some closed entirely, others limited services to remote learning, and a few remained open for specific programs. The patchwork of responses reflected both the intensity of the storm in different areas and the operational constraints districts face when weather disrupts the school calendar.
Forward outlook
the storm was expected to taper off into the afternoon and evening, but uncertainty remained about when normal operations would resume. Some districts indicated they could be required to employ remote instruction on Tuesday if closures continued because they have exhausted all available snow days. The Education Department's waivers give districts flexibility for Monday's closures, but administrators will still need to determine whether additional closures or compensatory instruction will be necessary later in the school year.
What makes this notable is that the education waivers remove immediate pressure to hold sessions or provide remote instruction for the affected day, shifting decisions about makeup days and instructional continuity to district leaders as the storm's aftermath and recovery become clearer.
