Instruction for MPS students will continue this winter even on days when winter weather makes travel difficult. The State of Minnesota has approved up to five “e-learning days” for schools annually. E-learning days allow students to continue learning and also reduce the chance that schools will have to make up days at the end of the school year due to snow days.
When severe weather occurs this winter and MPS determines that travel to schools and buildings is unsafe, families will be notified that students should remain at home and continue instruction via e-learning. The decision to move to e-learning will be announced by 6 p.m. the night before or no later than 5:30 a.m. on the day of an e-learning day. Information will be shared via all major news media, the MPS homepage, MPS social media, and emails, robocalls and texts to families. Please ensure that your family’s contact information is updated by contacting your school office.
When e-learning days will be called
The guidelines for calling e-learning remain unchanged and can be read in more detail on the district website. They are, in general:
- 6-8 inches of snow within 24 hours
- More than 8 inches of snow within 48 hours
- Wind chill below -35 degrees at 6:30 a.m.
- Heat index above 105 degrees for 3 hours for 2 consecutive days
Important preparation for families and students
Technology is a key component of e-learning, so please take steps to ensure your child has both a device and internet connection.
When severe weather occurs this winter and MPS determines that travel to schools and buildings is unsafe, families will be notified that students should remain at home and continue instruction via e-learning. The decision to move to e-learning will be announced by 6 p.m. the night before or no later than 5:30 a.m. on the day of an e-learning day. Information will be shared via all major news media, the MPS homepage, MPS social media, and emails, robocalls and texts to families. Please ensure that your family’s contact information is updated by contacting your school office.
- Devices should be brought to and from school every day, ensuring that students have their devices at home with them each evening should e-learning be needed. Every student who needs one should have been assigned a device that allows them to connect to an online learning platform, such as Seesaw or Google Classroom. Please see your school if you have questions about this.
- Internet service at your home should be available for every student. If your home is not currently connected to the internet, consider:
- The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), a low-cost program to help households pay for internet service and get a discount on a device.
- Contacting your school about alternative internet options such as a hotspot. MPS has limited hotspot availability, so other options should be explored first.
For additional support regarding technology please see the Technology Support for Families page.
