Winter weather is coming

As the last week has shown us, October is here: That means colder weather is on its way. Part of living in Minnesota involves being prepared for winter as a school district. Between our instructional and support staff, child care staff, transportation providers, and custodial and maintenance staff, we work hard to be ready for the days when inclement weather impacts our daily lives.

Parents and guardians can also help our students be prepared for this cooler weather. Please be sure to send your children in clothes appropriate to the day’s forecast. Jackets, boots, snow pants, gloves/mittens, and hats are important so students can still get outside and move when the weather is cold. Recess and physical education will continue to be outdoors until temperatures consistently drop below zero; we hope all students can participate in these activities. Please reach out to your child’s school if you have concerns about winter weather gear for your student.

If the winter weather may impact our ability to transport students to school safely, we use a variety of methods to determine whether we will hold on-site classes on any given day. Resources and organizations we access as we make our decision include reports from the national weather service, our local and state snow removal services, the national weather service wind chill chart, staff drives taken around the community to assess road conditions, and conversations with colleagues in neighboring districts to see what weather may be coming. In these instances, we aim to communicate with families no later than 6:30 am in order to help everyone plan. If there is the opportunity to make a decision the night prior, we will, but we also want to make sure that we are as confident as we can be in the weather predictions.

Waseca is a community that includes city, county, interstate, and township roads, ranging from students who live across the street from their school to those who travel a significant distance on this bus. School closure decisions are made with the goal of keeping all students safe, while also doing our best to have students in class as much as possible. Please keep in mind that if parents and guardians do not feel their student should attend school on a given day due to the weather, our schools will support these decisions and work with each family and student.

Winter is an exciting season in Minnesota. Outdoor activities change and can be refreshing as we get out and enjoy the new conditions. Movement and activity continue to be a critical part of a student’s learning experience, and being prepared for this season ensures everyone can participate and enjoy this significant part of our school year. Have a great fall season.