Heat closes schools early
Classrooms in 9 schools lack AC as temps spike
STAMFORD — It was a scene Board of Education members feared— with a week of school left, students across the district were dismissed early on Monday, driven out of classrooms as tem- peratures spiked into the upper 80s.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Stamford Public Schools sent an email to parents announcing early release for all middle and elementary schools. According to a district spokesperson, the decision was triggered by a buildup of heat in school facilities without air conditioning over the weekend. Temperatures in exposed
classrooms Monday morning were 84 degrees.
The classroom temperatures matched the weather predicted by the National Weather Service for the rest of the week and the rest of the school year — Tuesday through Thursday shows predicted highs in the 80s and high seventies. Despite the rising heat, students are still looking at another week of classes with the last official day of classes on June 25. Concerns about classes going late into the summer and causing heat-related issues were expressed at Board of Education meetings in April during a debate about the final day of classes after the district canceled classes on seven days due to snow.
According to district spokesperson Sharon Beadle, schools have been equipped with 42 “cooling centers” over the past 11 months, but the majority of classrooms in nine schools lack air conditioning. Air conditioning will be added in the upcoming year. It was not clear when the air conditioning would be installed.
The dismissal was not announced until later on Monday morning because facilities managers did not go into classrooms and check the temperature until then.
“Excessive heat alone can disrupt learning,” Beadle said. “In addition, health department policy requires we rotate students out of warm classrooms, so they are not exposed to ‘prolonged heat’ which creates additional disruptions to learning.”
She added as of Monday afternoon, the district had no plans for another early dismissal later in the week.
Students — and their parents — weren’t the only residents affected by the high temperatures. Throughout the city, cooling centers also popped up for those without air conditioning in their homes. The cooling centers will be open for operation on Tuesday as well. City officials also advised residents to look out for children and the elderly in light of the rising temps.
Temperatures on Monday reached a high of 89 degrees with 79 percent humidity recorded at Westchester County Airport, although an electronic thermometer at Westhill High School measured 93 degrees on Monday afternoon. The normal high for June 18 is 78 degrees.
The National Weather Service predicts these temperatures will continue into Friday with chances of thunderstorms on Wednesday night offering a possible break in the humidity.
In addition to the heat, the state Department of Energy and Envi- ronmental Protection also issued an air quality alert for Fairfield, New Haven and New London counties from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“Remember, it is important you take appropriate precautions when ozone levels are elevated, particularly for our most vulnerable residents – children, the elderly and those with respiratory diseases,” said DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee. “This weather can also impact healthy adults working or exercising outdoors – to minimize health impacts while working outdoors avoid prolonged strenuous activity and best if you exercise before noon or after 8 p.m.”