BALTIMORE (AP) — Months after freezing classrooms sparked numerous complaints, Baltimore schools have established guidelines for handling the extreme weather that accompanies summer.
The Baltimore Sun reports Baltimore City Public Schools released a warm weather policy last week establishing a dismissal protocol for the more than 70 city schools with no or outdated air-conditioning systems.
If the temperature in the majority of classrooms in most buildings reaches 85 degrees or the outside heat index reaches 100 degrees by 10:30 a.m., schools will be dismissed three hours early.
The district may also consider closing buildings in air-conditioned schools with malfunctioning cooling systems.
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Last September, temperatures inside some classrooms exceeded 100 degrees. In January, viral photos showed children huddling while classroom thermometers showed temperatures in the 40s.
Schools are slated to close June 19 and reopen Sept. 4.
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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com