Gov. Dayton orders schools closed Monday due to cold weather

Concerns over the coming bitter cold led Gov. Mark Dayton to cancel school on Monday for the state's K-12 students.

Dayton's deputy chief of staff made the announcement Friday morning.

While it's a day off for public school students, however, it may not be a day off for teachers and staff:

It's expected to be historically cold on Monday across Minnesota. MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner is warning that the state could reach the coldest temperatures that we've seen in nine years.

Here's the latest from the National Weather Service:

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Here's more from the governor's office on the decision to close the public schools Monday.

With forecasts predicting dangerously cold weather, all K-12 schools will be closed on Monday, Jan. 6th

ST. PAUL, MN – To protect Minnesota schoolchildren from forecasted dangerously cold weather, Governor Mark Dayton announced today that all of the state’s K-12 public schools will be closed next Monday, January 6th. The National Weather Service predicts that most of the state will experience the coldest temperatures in a decade next Monday, with lows reaching -30 degrees and wind chills predicted to reach as low as -50 degrees. High temperatures from International Falls to Rochester are forecasted to be only -15 degrees.

“The safety of Minnesota’s schoolchildren must be our first priority,” said Governor Dayton. “I have made this decision to protect all our children from the dangerously cold temperatures now forecasted for next Monday. I encourage Minnesotans of all ages to exercise caution in these extreme weather conditions.”

The decision to close schools across the state was announced today in order to give school administrators, teachers, and parents sufficient time to plan for these closures. The Minnesota Department of Education will be coordinating with school districts throughout the day to notify the public about Monday’s school closings.

“Children's safety is always our top priority, and as a former superintendent, I know these are never easy calls,” said Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “I want to thank Governor Dayton for putting our kids’ safety first, and am relieved parents won't have to worry about sending their children out in the dangerous cold on Monday, but can instead keep them home, safe and warm."

State law provides the Governor of Minnesota authority to “authorize the commissioner of education to alter school schedules, curtail school activities, or order schools closed.”

Other Monday closings:

UPDATED 5:45 p.m., Friday, Jan. 3

Schools:

• Blake School

• Community Action Head Start

• Cretin-Derham Hall

• Dunwoody College of Technology

• International School of Minnesota

• MacPhail Center for Music

• Mounds Park Academy

• St. Cloud State University

• St. Paul Academy

• South Central Technical College - Faribault and North Mankato

• University of St. Thomas

Recreation:

• Minnesota Zoo

• All Saint Paul Department of Parks and Recreation programs

• Minneapolis Park buildings closed and programs cancelled

• Eden Prairie’s outdoor skating and sledding facilities

• Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area and the

• Downhill skiing at Elm Creek Winter Recreation Area

Other:

• Basilica of St. Mary

• Bridging

• CLUES

• Eureka Recycling is canceling Monday pick-up; Rest of schedule pushed back one day

• MRCI WorkSource

• Editor’s notebook: Covering the environment in 2014
• Best of Minnesota Scenes from 2014
• 50 years of memory making in the Boundary Waters