What Causes Snow Days?

The city of Rexburg Idaho can have some harsh weather during the winter. It can be unpredictable and sometimes unsafe. MHS has several ways to look out for their students just in case school needs to be canceled.

“The Superintendent watches the weather very carefully and he gets up early in the morning and travels the roadways. He works really in sync with the transportation department,” Assistant Principal Busby said.

There are several different factors and opinions that help the Superintendent decide whether or not the school should be canceled. It is decided at a district level and also through the community.

“It’s not a black and white decision. They make it based on temperature, including/excluding wind-chill, and also the road conditions. They will sometimes call the city to see how long they think it will take to clear it if its road conditions,” Principal Bennett said.

The MHS school district website talks a little more about the policy for canceling school when it is too cold. There is no state law requiring the school to be out when the temperature gets too cold but there is a limit the school district has about temperature.

“The 20 below Fahrenheit mark was established because that is the temperature when it is dangerous for people to be outdoors. In addition, it is the temperature when diesel fuel begins to gel which creates great difficulty in starting and operating school buses,” According to the Madison District 321 website.