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Responding to parent feedback, and no doubt answering the fevered prayers of countless children, Madison school officials say they will use a less-stringent guideline this winter when deciding whether to cancel classes due to cold temperatures.

Administrators now will consider closing schools anytime there is a predicted wind chill of minus 25 degrees or colder, said Mike Barry, assistant superintendent for business services. The prior standard for closing was a wind chill of minus 35 degrees or colder.

In a typical school year, the new threshold likely will result in one additional canceled school day, he said. However, there will be anomalies. Applying the new standard to the polar vortex of 2013-14 would have meant four additional canceled days, he said.

The district’s school calendar has three winter-weather cancellation days built into it, said district spokeswoman Rachel Strauch-Nelson. Beyond that, any canceled days would need to be made up elsewhere, she said.

In another change, the district is committed to notifying parents earlier about closures for cold temperatures, Barry said. Every attempt will be made to make the decision by 9 p.m. the night before, instead of the morning of, he said.