La Crescent, MN (WXOW)-- It's noon at La Crescent Elementary school, but the playgrounds are empty. Instead of recess kids are playing inside, due to the extremely cold temperatures.
"If it is a negative or below zero, in wind-chill, then we do not send the children out," said Julie Beddow-Shubert, the principal of the school. "So it has to be zero or above."
But schools are prepared for those days when it's just too cold to go outside.
"We actually have a number of activities that are planned in the large gymnasium," Beddow-Shubert said. "Those activities have been funded through our PTO, our parent teacher organization. So we have games, active games, Legos and jump ropes."
Even when recess is inside, nurse Deb Best says they sometimes have students coming to school…not dressed for the weather.
"We let them warm up," Best said. "We can get them some warmer clothes to borrow if they need to, to get them through that cold day."
And though recess is canceled because of cold, it takes wind chills of about 40 below before the superintendent will make the decision to close schools for the day.
