MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County Schools called its first ever Arctic Academy day for Jan. 3 due to the frigid temperature.
Arctic Academy days are intended to be used on extremely cold days or days with inclement weather that don’t quite qualify as snow days.
Deputy Superintendent Donna Talerico said the district does not want kids standing outside waiting for buses when it is so cold outside.
“The most important thing is the safety of our students,” she said.
The program has been in place since last school year, but the weather was too mild last winter for one to be called, Talerico said.
However, with what Talerico called brutally frigid temperatures on Jan. 3, it’s the perfect day for one.
“If this isn’t it I don’t know what is,” she said.
The announcement means students will not be attending classes at brick and mortar schools on what would have been the first day back from Christmas break, Talerico said.
However, students will perform about 20 minutes of activity per class through applications already downloaded onto their Chromebooks.
She said the Arctic Academy day will provide a good opportunity for students to get ready to come back to school after break.
Teachers will report to school and be available to help students via email.
More information on the program is available on the Monongalia County School’s website or individual school’s websites, Talerico said.
