Weather conditions, including extreme temperatures, play an important role in determining whether changes to the regular school day must be made to ensure student safety.
When considering such changes, the Monticello Central School District evaluates not just air temperature, but wind chill as well. Wind chill is calculated by combining air temperature with wind speed to estimate how fast exposed skin cools, and lower wind chill values directly correlate with an increased risk of frostbite occurring in a shorter period of time on exposed skin.
While there are no set guidelines at the state level that mandate delays or closures at specific temperatures, the MCSD relies on guidance from the National Weather Service to gauge potential risks and determine whether a delay or closure may be warranted to reduce exposure to students walking to school or waiting at bus stops or outside of schools during the coldest part of the morning. For more information about wind chill, please review the NWS’s wind chill chart.