Philadelphia schools will start late on Monday, December 15, as the area cleans up after a weekend snowstorm coupled with particularly frigid temperatures. The School District of Philadelphia announced that all schools, including Early Childhood Centers and the Dr. Constance E. Clayton Education Center, along with archdiocesan high schools and Catholic elementary schools, will operate on a two-hour delay.
A spokesperson for the school district emphasized that students arriving late due to weather-related issues will not be marked tardy, and those absent can be excused with a note from a parent or guardian. Similarly, staff arriving late will be marked as excused. In light of the weather conditions, all scheduled outdoor activities for that day will be shifted indoors.
Throughout the Philadelphia region, several inches of snow fell late Saturday into Sunday morning. Although the snow has cleared, the region is experiencing extremely low temperatures. As the night progresses, temperatures are expected to drop into the teens, creating a wind chill that will make it feel much colder. The cold spell persists into Monday, with highs only reaching around 30 degrees, while wind chills will keep temperatures feeling like the upper teens throughout the day.
This situation highlights the importance of safety measures in schools during inclement weather, ensuring that both students and staff are accommodated while navigating challenging conditions.