Will Students Sweat Out the Heat?

On the first very hot day of the season–temps were in the high 80s today– Interim Principal Rich Gusenburg said it was a lucky thing that Branford Schools had a previously scheduled staff development/early release day for students.

Sliney and the other elementary schools, and , do not have air conditioning; the excess heat can be troublesome to students’ health and focus.

During the morning hours, Gusenburg reported, “the building is not too hot although I know the third floor will get very warm by dismissal time (1 p.m.).” Gusenberg said fans were distributed to the classrooms and staff were instructed to keep students hydrated.

Tomorrow, said, Gusenburg is the bigger concern as a full day is planned. According to area weather reports and Branford Patch's new meteorologist James Boyle, Branford's temperatures tomorrow (the record this date is 93 F, set in 1973).

Branford Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez said the elementary schools are handling the heat on a school-by-school basis and will be taking precautions to ensure student safety by reducing outdoor activity and monitoring the amount of students who frequent the nurse’s office during the warm spell. “We have reached out to the local East Shore Health District,” said Hernandez, adding there is no set temperature at which schools should be shut down.

As it stands, school will be session tomorrow. Hernandez said only a handful of schools in the state have canceled and he’s spoken with other area districts who are holding school as planned. “This is part of what we do,” he said. “It’s no different than if there was a hurricane or snow. We communicate.”

Tomorrow, Tisko’s oldest students will attend Fourth-Grade Adventure Day, an outdoor activity day at Silver Sands Beach Club and Murphy students will enjoy an outdoor Reading Carnival on Friday; both school principals will be monitoring heat.

While there is no money in the schools' capital budget next year for air conditioning, the school nurses’ offices and some of the administrators have window air conditioning units. Anthony Buono, Principal of Murphy, said Hernandez, chooses not to turn on his AC to set an example. Francis Walsh Intermediate School and Branford High School both have central air systems.

According to Hernandez for the rest of this and into the last weeks of school, classroom temperatures will be monitored and overall health of students is priority.