I live in WI- it has to be a windchill lower than -30*F (-34*C) for most of the districts around me. Recess is usually cut off at 0*F (-18*C)
I used to teach in bush Alaska and we never had cold days despite windchills regularly being below that. We did occasionally have wind days but never cold days. February rarely got above -20*F (-29*C) straight temp. Recess cut off was -18*F (-28*C).
I just asked this in the previous post. We only have snow days. If it is 32 or below we have indoor recess. If the wind chill is involved, then that is also 32 or below. It has been very cold with the wind chill the past few years. Not enough for a cold day.
We are wimps in my district in North Texas! It has to be between 40 degrees and 100 degrees including wind chill or heat index. Our kids do not dress appropriately to be out in cold weather. Many only have sweatshirt hoodies as coats. No gloves, no hats.
Recess cut off was -18? I can't believe that. Sounds cruel. Our recess cut off is 10 degrees or below w/windchill.
I don't think we have a set temp, but we are off now for -25ish w/wind chills. Eh, I could go to school in the cold, but they are worried about the kids who stand outside at the bus and the buses starting. Snow days make more sense to me, when the roads are too bad...although around here it takes a lot of snow at just the right time for them to cancel.
For cold days, it has to be -35 with windchill or colder for school to be called off. Recess is 0 degrees or colder with windchill. So if the temp without windchill is above 0, but with wind chill is 0 or colder,they don't go out. They only go out when the temperature with windchill is 1 degree or "warmer"
Recess cut off was -18? I can't believe that. Sounds cruel. Our recess cut off is 10 degrees or below w/windchill.
PEPteach, the kids in Alaska were prepared for the cold. They laughed at the kids in the Lower 48 who came to school in just a hoodie. And honestly, once the temperature reaches -20, it's all sort of the same. If you have the right gear, it's still cold but it is manageable.
I live in Iowa and our district has outdoor recess whenever it is 0 degrees or above. If the windchill is negative zero, we have indoor recess. With the -35 to 40 below zero today, school was cancelled. We have a 2 hour delay tomorrow. Easiest back-to-school after break week ever!!! Stay warm, friends!!!
I am in Daytona Beach. The only time we get a day off (besides for a hurricane ) is a snow day - all it takes is about 1/4 of an inch because we have no snow equipment (obviously) and they worry that the bus drivers won't know how to drive on the snow or thin coating of ice! It only happens about once every 5 years or so! I take that back. Once we did get sent home from our school for cold, but its because it was in the 20s outside, here insulation is not what it is in the north and a pipe broke and cut off all the heat!
Down in south Louisiana, we don't go outside to recess if the temp is below 40. We get spurts of really cold weather, not extended periods of frigid temps so our kids usually wear nothing more than sweatshirts and lightweight jackets.
North Louisiana here. We play it by ear. If the other elementary teacher and I feel it is too cold or we have students without coats we make it an indoor recess.
We only have 20 kids in 1-8 and always have a gym available so kids always get active time.
I guess we're like most cold weather states here. School cancelled with windchills -25 or below. No recess if temp/ windchill is 0 or below. But it's also up to those doing recess. Lots of times the kids are inside when the temp is only 20 because the person doing recess duty didn't want to go out.
recess restrictions, until a report came out that children's core temperature could not be maintained when the temperature is below a certain number. The administrators decide this. We sometimes allow the older students to go outside when the little ones need to stay in. Other cold days the students are allowed to go for a quick cold weather walk.
In my 16 years of teaching, we have NEVER had a cold day! For outside recess, the temp can't be any lower than 10 degrees (with windchill). We would never see the light of day if we went by some of the temps in this thread!
At my schoo,l in New Jersey, the cut off for recess outdoors is 32degrees Fahrenheit. We have been inside for recess all this week because it has been between 6 and 22
It really got cold in this area fast!
My school in NY was a little better we'd go out down to 25 degrees. Even when it was below that, we would frequently go out for at least 10 minutes to get the kids out in the fresh air.
Of course, they would be out sledding in much colder temperatures on a snow day.
I'm not sure what the cut-off for temperature is, but it was below freezing here today in South MS and they told us no recess. It was about 30* this morning.
We don't have "cold" days. We did have ice days last year because nobody could drive on the roads due to ice. That was the first ones I remember.
I have to admit - I HATE recess duty! So, if it is cold, I don't go out because I would just be grumpier - lol!! Off the last two days for excessive wind chills. Hour late start tomorrow. Big worry is buses starting and students wearing the appropriate clothing. Located in central Illinois.
I don't think my main school has a hard and fast number for recess. The principal usually goes outside right before lunch and sees how it feels before making the call. (Though yesterday, he did call it on the morning announcements.)
As for "cold days" I do remember one a few years ago, but it was 0 F yesterday morning (not sure how much worse with windchill) and we were at school. I'm in MA, so the kids do have cold weather gear, and most of my town comes by bus or car. A nearby city district with a lot of walkers did close, though.
our recess was cancelled today and it was 37. Southern Louisianans don't dress appropriately. Many teachers were not layered (yes, we layer for 45 and below!) and many kids had leggings/shorts or skirt/leggings and only a sweatshirt.
-10 F in Anchorage, AK. I believe it's -20 in Fairbanks; I'm not sure about other localities. I grew up in various road-system communities in Alaska, and indoor recess was VERY rare.
If the temperature is less than -25C + wind we stay in. BUT if it's really sunny then we send them out... It really depends on how bad the windchill is.
To actually close a school in Northern Alberta it would have to be really cold -45C, I think.
Last edited by bubbleepink; 02-04-2015 at 02:42 PM..
Reason: Adding
We were at 0 degrees F or whenever the windchill went below 0. We just had a vote to change the policy to 10 degrees. We're only out for 20 mins. once a day, so we try not to have indoor recess very often.
> 
01-07-2015, 06:49 PM
Our recess cut off is 10 degrees or below w/windchill. 
) is a snow day - all it takes is about 1/4 of an inch 
because we have no snow equipment (obviously) and they worry that the bus drivers won't know how to drive on the snow or thin coating of ice! It only happens about once every 5 years or so! I take that back. Once we did get sent home from our school for cold, but its because it was in the 20s outside, here insulation is not what it is in the north and a pipe broke and cut off all the heat!
