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Weather Policy

School Day Cancellations

A. When MPS schools are closed prior to the start of the school day, all afternoon and evening recreation and interscholastic athletics/academics are canceled.

B. If MPS issues a winter alert, which means bus drivers report to their first tier schools by 1:55 p.m. and schools begin to dismiss students at 1:55 p.m., the following recreation and interscholastic athletic office activities will continue to operate

  • Child care, day care, camp programs, Safe Places, and Community Learning Centers at elementary schools.
  • Safe places and Community Learning Centers in middle and high schools.
  • After-school recreation programs/activity buses in elementary schools.
  • After-school sports programs/activity buses in middle schools.
  • After-school and evening interscholastic athletic/academic practices and games/activity buses in high school.
  • After-school and evening community recreation classes.
  • Evening adult municipal recreation sports leagues.

C. If MPS issues a weather emergency, which means schools may dismiss students (who walk to school) at noon, all afternoon and evening recreation/interscholastic activities will automatically be canceled, with the exception of:

  • After-school child care camp programs, Safe Places, and Community Learning Centers at elementary schools. These programs will remain open until parents/guardians have picked up their children.

If the weekend weather is questionable

A. Weekend weather cancelations for Milwaukee Recreation activities, interscholastic athletics/academics, and MPS music lessons will be announced via the Milwaukee Recreation website and social media. One of the following messages will be relayed:

Message #1: Closing for COLD WEATHER

  • Only youth Milwaukee Recreation activities and MPS music lessons are canceled.
  • All other activities are on as scheduled.

Message #2: Closing for SNOW

  • All Milwaukee Recreation activities, leagues, MPS music lessons, and interscholastic events at MPS sites are canceled.

B. If programs have started and weather conditions system-wide require closing during the day, the same procedures listed in A above will be utilized.

Heat Closures & Poor Air Quality

Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Recreation monitor the weather when the National Weather Service issues an Excessive Heat Warning, an Excessive Heat Watch, or a Heat Advisory for specific daytime heat conditions. (Read criteria for these designations.) The district also monitors the U.S. Air Quality Index, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) tool for communicating daily air quality, to determine any air quality-related cancellations. Any decision to close will be communicated through the same channels as winter weather closures.

Special Note: Adult Sports

Indoor Sports

In the event of severe weather conditions, officials and team managers are urged to listen closely to the radio/TV stations listed above. Announcements may not specifically mention the adult sports program, but may state “Activities of the Milwaukee Recreation have been canceled” or something to that effect.

Outdoor Sports

In the event of inclement weather, call the Weather Hotline at 414-475-8192 after 4 p.m. or fieldhouse phone numbers after 5 p.m. for field conditions.

If in doubt, officials should report and managers are urged to have at least the minimum number of players appear to avoid the possibility of a forfeit. Managers should pass this information on to their players.