WINTER WEATHER GUIDELINES

Before deciding to hold an e-learning day due to extreme winter weather conditions, Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent Joe Gothard consults with a variety of experts both inside and outside of the district. Our commitment is to keep families, staff and the community informed of weather-related school closings and cancellations.

SPPS follows state education guidelines that allow districts to offer e-learning days due to inclement weather. The district may call an “e-learning day” if:

• Wind chills are forecasted to be -35 or colder at 6 a.m. OR
• Snow makes it too difficult for our students and staff to get to school

The superintendent also reserves the right to close school due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, if necessary. Students should take their iPads and chargers home every day to be prepared for the possibility of an e-learning day due to weather conditions.

Please note that delayed start times are not logistically possible in Saint Paul Public Schools.

As a district, it is our goal to make decisions on winter weather closings with enough time for families to make arrangements for their student(s) to be home for an e-learning day.

• On an e-learning day, students are learning online with their teachers and classmates on their district iPads.
• Students can expect to meet with their teachers and other students throughout an e-learning day and complete assignments via Seesaw/Schoology.
• Students should take their iPads and chargers home every day to be prepared for the possibility of an e-learning day due to weather conditions.

On e-learning days, Discovery Club will be closed. Varsity athletics games and practices will be decided on a case-by-case basis. All other athletic events and after-school activities will be canceled, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.

Other cancelations include:

• After-school programs and extra-curricular activities (Flipside, Extended Day for Learning (EDL), etc.)
• After-school events (field trips, open houses, conferences, etc.)
• Family engagement activities (Parent Academy, Parent Advisory Council meetings, etc.)
• Community Education in-person classes. Online classes will continue as usual.
• Permits held by outside organizations (YMCA, Girl Scouts, tutoring, etc.) for meetings and activities in an SPPS building are canceled. Contact the organizer with questions.

As a district, it is our goal to make decisions on “cold weather” closings with enough time for families to make arrangements for their student(s) to be home for an e-learning day. SPPS uses a variety of methods to inform families, staff and the community about school closures and cancellations including spps.org, local media, social media, and direct communication through email, text messages and phone calls.

• Families should make sure their contact information is up-to-date through Campus Parent.
• Staff should make sure their contact information is up-to-date through Employee Self-Service.

Varsity athletics games and practices will be decided on a case-by-case basis. All other athletic events and after-school activities will be canceled, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.

Other after-school cancelations include:

• After-school programs and extra-curricular activities (Flipside, Extended Day for Learning (EDL), etc.)
• After-school events (field trips, open houses, conferences, etc.)
• Family engagement activities (Parent Academy, Parent Advisory Council meetings, etc.)
• Community Education in-person classes. Online classes will continue as usual.
• Permits held by outside organizations (YMCA, Girl Scouts, tutoring, etc.) for meetings and activities in an SPPS building are canceled. Contact the organizer with questions.

Snow day closures and cancellations:

• Classes and programs at all PreK-12 schools
• Discovery Club
• Early Childhood Special Education
• Early Childhood Family Education
• After-school programs and extra-curricular activities (Extended Day for Learning (EDL), Flipside, field trips, school events, etc.)
• Family Engagement activities (Parent Academy, open house, conferences, etc.)
• Community Education cancellations are decided on an individual basis. Contact your specific program or visit spps.org/commed. 
• Permits held by outside organizations (YMCA, Girl Scouts, tutoring, etc.) for meetings and activities in a school building are canceled. Contact the organizer with questions.

Varsity athletics games and practices will be decided on a case-by-case basis. All other athletic events and after-school activities will be canceled, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis. 

Saint Paul Public Schools uses the National Weather Service (NWS) wind chill chart to determine whether recess will be held outside. Wind chill is the temperature it feels like on your skin when the wind is blowing. The stronger the wind, the colder it feels.

Schools will keep students inside if the wind chill is expected to be colder than -10 degrees below zero. Regardless of the wind chill, students who do not have the appropriate winter clothing will not be able to participate in outdoor recess.

As you can see in the chart below, if the temperature is 10 degrees above zero with winds of 15 miles per hour, the wind chill would be -7 degrees. This would allow recess to continue outside safely. However, if the temperature is 0 degrees with a 5 mph wind, the wind chill would be -11 degrees, requiring recess to be held indoors. 

Families are encouraged to monitor their children’s clothing selections to make sure they are appropriately dressed for cold weather. Students who do not have the appropriate winter clothing will not be able to participate in outdoor recess.

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) uses the National Weather Service (NWS) wind chill chart to determine whether to hold an e-learning day or make adjustments to outdoor recess. Wind chill is the temperature it feels like on your skin when the wind is blowing. The stronger the wind, the colder it feels. SPPS may move to an e-learning day if the wind chill is expected to be -35 degrees Fahrenheit at 6 a.m. the following morning.

As you can see in the chart below, if the temperature is negative 5 degrees with winds of 40 miles per hour, the wind chill would be -36 degrees which could result in an e-learning day.