Columbus City Schools Without AC, Fighting Against the Heat

With more the 50 schools in the City School District without central AC , District teams and principals are “strategizing on ways to minimize the effects of the heat on students and staff.”

They’ve cited the “unseasonably hot and muggy conditions” to launch their initial plans which include:

1. Hydrate: In the morning, every student, teacher, and staff member in our 52 non-AC schools will receive a bottle of water. Our community partners at Kroger have donated a truck-load of water to make sure we have enough. We are in the process of stockpiling extra bottles of water at these schools. We will also have water available on certain bus routes.

2. Circulate: We try to keep the air moving in the halls and classrooms. We make every effort to have as many fans as possible in these buildings, and we have deployed additional industrial-sized fans in several schools. Custodians will report to the buildings an hour earlier to open windows and turn on fans, so air is circulating even before staff and students arrive.

3. Stimulate: Teachers ask extra questions and find in-class activities to keep students’ minds active. It’s also a way for us to monitor students’ conditions to make sure the heat doesn’t become a health issue. District leaders will also be at the schools to assist and monitor both students and staff.

4. Innovate: While each classroom doesn’t have AC, there are at least one or two common areas in each school that do (such as the computer lab or library). Teachers will improvise with additional learning time in those locations. When possible, classes might also visit nearby cool locations — such as neighboring rec centers or public libraries — that have air conditioning.

Additionally, they’ve informed parents to help by, “encouraging their kids to drink plenty of water, wear appropriate clothing and alert an adult if they aren’t feeling well.”

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