RECESS DRESS GUIDELINES
Students should wear comfortable clothing that is appropriate for our Wisconsin weather. Students are required to go outside for recess unless the temperature or wind chill is below zero or it is raining. Therefore, it is important that students are dressed appropriately, especially when the weather is cold or damp. The following temperature guidelines have been developed to help with the selection of clothes. Parents are encouraged to direct their children to dress warmer than the temperature ranges indicated if they feel it is necessary. However, given the length of our recesses (15 or 20 minutes) and the active nature of play by most children, these guidelines should be appropriate for most.
Over 60 degrees - Short sleeved shirts and shorts are OK.
50 – 59 degrees - Long sleeved shirt.
40 – 49 degrees - Lighter jacket. If in the upper range, then a heavy hooded sweatshirt is OK.
Under 40 degrees - Winter jacket, hat or headband, mittens or gloves. K – 3 students are expected to wear snow pants outside if parents sent them to school with the child and the temperatures warrant their wear. Students in grades 4 – 5 may choose to wear/not wear snow pants on the blacktop area.
Snow conditions - When snow is present, snow pants and boots must be worn to play off the blacktop area. When the ground is sufficiently dry such that if students step off the blacktop area they will not track mud into the school and classrooms, then boots will not be required.
Older students (4th and 5th grade) often prefer not to wear boots at recess. When the asphalt is dry, this is not a problem. However, occasionally the asphalt area on the playground is snow covered or covered with slush (sometimes this happens during the school day). For that reason, we recommend that all students have a pair of boots available at school to wear during recess as needed.
Please note that these are approximate guidelines, not absolutes. If the temperatures are close to the next range, supervisors will use their discretion if they feel some modification is OK. If other conditions are present, such as heavy wind or a very light mist (one not hard enough to call for inside recess), then warmer dress will be called for.
It is highly recommended that each student have a heavy sweatshirt, sweater, or light jacket at school each day to allow for variations in temperature throughout the day.
