Dear Families
With the weather (finally) getting sunny and warm, I thought it would be a good time to touch base with you about new regulations NYS enacted regarding extreme heat conditions in schools. The new law sets standards on what schools should do when classrooms reach 82 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and calls for students to be relocated, where practical, if classrooms reach 88 degrees. While the law does not go into effect until September 1st, we are going to practice implementing these measures if we get any hot days over the next few weeks.
Actions to be Taken at Eighty-Two Degrees
In areas where air conditioning is not available, when the room temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit, our schools will take actions to relieve heat-related discomfort, including but not limited to the following:
Turning off the overhead lights
Opening classroom windows to increase circulation
Pulling down shades or blinds
Turning on fans, where available
Turning off unused electronics that produce heat
Providing water breaks.
Actions to be Taken at 88 Degrees
If a classroom reaches 88° F, we will relocate the room’s occupants to an alternate location with lower temperatures, where practical. Alternate locations will include moving students to a classroom or space with air conditioning or other cooler learning spaces.
If students are relocated to another space within the school building, the relocation will be communicated to all staff, including safety and security personnel. If students are relocated to another building, we will notify the students’ primary contacts.
An early dismissal/building closure due to extreme heat will be a last resort and only used if absolutely necessary. If the District determines that the extreme heat warrants an early dismissal or building closure, we will follow our early dismissal/emergency closing protocols and notify staff and parents/guardians accordingly.
While the law provides schools with the option of holding classes remotely in the event of extreme heat, we do not plan on going remote in this situation.
I also wanted you to know that we are continuing to develop our plan to install air conditioning at MED while keeping coats within the budget that voters approved as part of our 2023 Capital Project vote. We will keep you updated as the project moves forward, with installation possible during phase three of the project, scheduled for next summer.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or your child’s building principal.
Fondly,
Andrew Kourt
Chatham CSD superintendent