Denver Public Schools releases students early from 14 schools due to heat
Denver Public Schools issued an early release for students at more than a dozen schools on Tuesday, one day after record-setting temperatures in Denver. Some students were sent home early on Tuesday due to another hot day forecasted and the schools don't have air conditioning.
For the second day in a row, the Denver metro area has a heat advisory in place from noon thru 8 p.m. for high temps from 96 to 102 degrees.
The students were only at school for a couple of hours when McMeen Elementary released students. That school is among 14 schools in Denver Public Schools that released students due to the heat.
The entire list of schools can be found here or below:
"Yesterday was the worst of it and my classroom was coming near 90 degrees, if not over. So, you hit a point where the kids are not functioning anyways because they are just groggy and it's so hot. Needing water and you can't do too much productive," said Steadman Elementary School teacher Erika Grimes.
"You need to have the right conditions for them to be comfortable and to stay focused. So, I think it's trying to do whatever you can to ensure that they are getting that," said parent Emma Pullman.
Overall in DPS, there are 37 schools that don't have air conditioning. A 2020 voter-approved bond will fund the installation of air conditioning in dozens of schools but not all of them have the cooling units yet.
Instead, the schools have portable air conditioning units for each classroom but those aren't enough to keep the schools cool enough on such hot days.
There are 17 schools in DPS that will have early release on Wednesday due to the forecasted heat.
Those schools are:
- Skinner Middle
- Park Hill Elementary
- McMeen Elementary
- Whittier Elementary
- Polaris Elementary
- Carson Elementary
- Godsman Elementary
- Bryant Webster Elementary
- Columbine Elementary
- Stedman Elementary
- Asbury Elementary
- Bradley Elementary
- Lincoln Elementary
- Brown Elementary
- Knapp Elementary
- University Park
- Edison Elementary
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