Schools alter days as heat wave beats down on San Diego County
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — As extreme heat set in over San Diego County, students have been bracing for interruptions — from classroom changes due to air conditioning buckling and cancelling of sports practices due to three-digit temperatures.
From El Cajon and Spring Valley to San Diego, schools have made a number of adjustments as the region sizzles under brutal temperatures from the late summer heat wave, which first set in on Wednesday and is anticipated to remain until Monday.
An excessive heat warning blankets inland communities and a heat advisory is in place for neighborhoods along the coast. According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures are expected to remain anywhere from 85 to over 100 degrees while both are in place.
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The heat has lead to last-minute changes at schools across the county — all the way from the coast to the mountain and desert areas.
A number of students at schools in the San Diego Unified School District have also reported experiencing heat-related illnesses, according to district spokesperson Maureen Magee in a statement to FOX 5/KUSI on Thursday. All were treated by school nurse staff.
These students include several at one of the district’s oldest campuses, Garfield Elementary School in North Park, which had issues with its HVAC system earlier in the school year. The problems have since been resolved, Magee said.
According to the district, HVAC technicians have been working to troubleshoot other issues with air conditioning, as the heat and humidity has placed added pressure on the systems. When it goes down, Magee said classes have been relocated to other spaces where air is on temporarily.
At districts like Chula Vista Elementary and Cajon Valley Union, school activities during the hours of the day where the peak heat beats down have been moved inside wherever possible. This includes lunch and recess, similar to the “rainy day” schedules.
Helicopters were also used to deliver new air conditioning units to Cajon Valley Union schools in need of extra help bringing temperatures down.
Meanwhile, in Ramona, the new CIF rules requiring high school sports teams to cancel games if conditions are over 92 degrees has cast uncertainty over Central Union High School’s junior varsity and varsity football games Friday night.
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“At the games, we’re making sure we have some shades, we have plenty of water, cooling stations,” Craig Lyon, Central Union High School principal, said to FOX 5/KUSI on Thursday. If the temperatures don’t drop, he added “there is not much you can do, you can’t play.”
With the heat expected to remain around until Monday, parents are encouraged to send their kids to school with plenty of water and in light-colored, loose-fit clothing. After school, keeping kids in air conditioned spaces if possible is strongly encouraged.
Cool zones are also available throughout the county at libraries and other public recreational facilities. A list of cool zones can be found on the county’s website. Those looking for a nearby cool zone can also call 2-1-1 for more information.
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