Recess Temperatures

[sfa]

I agree that these things tend to be relative, and a lot should depend on whether or not the kids have the clothing appropriate for the weather (not necessarily a poverty issue as someone suggested--it could well be that it doesn't make sense for *anyone* to buy snow boots or warm parkas if the normal winter includes no snow and temps in the 50's).

But 40 degrees still seems pretty warm (says me, living south of the Mason Dixon line!) to keep kids indoors during recess. My daughter's school has a cutoff of 25 degrees, although if it's dry and not windy they'll often send the kids out in colder weather, and if it's wet or really windy, they might keep them indoors. Even if they have indoor recess, they still get the run of the gym so they can burn off some steam.

Sarah

[GLC1968]

I agree that these things tend to be relative, and a lot should depend on whether or not the kids have the clothing appropriate for the weather (not necessarily a poverty issue as someone suggested--it could well be that it doesn't make sense for *anyone* to buy snow boots or warm parkas if the normal winter includes no snow and temps in the 50's).

Ditto this.


As an aside - when I was in grade school in Wisconsin, school was canceled when temps dropped below -20F because it was too dangerous to be standing around at the bus stop. I think windchill was colder than -50F or something... now THAT's cold.

[Veronica]

Elementary school with a gym? Must be nice!

Speaking as a teacher, it's darn hard to be "on" all morning. If it's raining and I have no prep time (like today) I am "on" with no break from 8:15 - 12:30.

Yes, I want to get them out for their 15 minute recess so I can turn my brain off! Oh and a trip to the restroom would be welcome.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Elementary school with a gym? Must be nice!

WAIT?! Most elementary schools don't have gyms? All the ones I attended did (and I attended 5 in three different states)! Have things changed a lot since I was a kid?

(I don't have my own kids, so this is not something I'd pay attention to... I'm just curious)

[Irulan]

The kids might melt if they go out in the rain,too.

[Veronica]

No gyms at any of the elemtary schools in my district. We do have a cafeteria and the kids spend their lunch recess in there on rainy days, playing board games. Maybe it's a CA thing. We had a gym at my elemtary school in Maine, but my school was the old town high school.

It's not the same as getting out and running around though.

Veronica

[sundial]

At our school, the only time we didn't play outside:

• when it was raining cats and dogs
• when school was out

[Crankin]

Yep, we have the cars sitting at the end of the driveways, cul-de-sacs, and streets here. Can't leave those precious things alone for one second!!!
Seriously, this phenomena left my own children wickedly hysterical when we moved to a development on a cul de sac. The cars would be lined up, back to my house. On days it was raining (or G-d forbid, snowing), my kids would go out, appropriately dressed, with an umbrella, snow boots, whatever the weather called for. The mothers would invariably beckon them to wait in one of their cars. My kids always refused, except for the time the bus got stuck in the snow and they did take a ride (I had left for work). Now, we are talking about middle school and high school aged kids! I am sure I was branded as the evil mother of Boxborough. They even commented once to my son who was scraping the snow off of the roof of his car, preparing to go to school, when he was a junior or senior. Like how could I be so mean as to make him clean his car and drive himself to school?
Oy.

[SadieKate]

sfa, when I googled this issue I found many references to kids not having the clothing due to poverty. Hence, all the Coats for Kids programs run in many communities.

Not having the clothing because it's a freaky weather spell is a different problem covered in an "act of nature" clause.