Four Denver Public Schools buildings are releasing students early Thursday due to excessive heat, according to the district.
Impacted schools include Asbury Elementary, Bradley Elementary, Cory Elementary and Thomas Jefferson High School.
Schools should have sent an email to their communities the night before announcing the early release.
On Tuesday, DPS released 14 schools early because of the heat and 17 on Wednesday.
More than 40 schools within the district lack air conditioning, throwing a wrench in DPS’s first week back to classes amid record-high temperatures.
Thursday’s high is expected to climb to 93 degrees, but cooler days are ahead with a Friday high of 69 degrees forecast and Saturday expected to reach around 75 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
“The changing climate has brought increasingly hot temperatures, and we are witnessing the direct impact of this in our schools, particularly at the beginning and end of each year,” read a statement from DPS teacher and union president Rob Gould. “This heatwave has taken a toll on our students’ ability to learn effectively, leaving them fatigued and struggling to concentrate.”
Gould said the district has proven hesitant to establish consistent thresholds allowing for a school to call for a closure or early release due to extreme heat.
Some classrooms have soared to temperatures as high as 87 degrees before the district approved early release or closure, Gould said.
“Ultimately, the final decision lies in the hands of the district officials who often work in air-conditioned buildings,” Gould said. “We urge school leaders to involve school leadership teams in tackling heat-related concerns. District officials should communicate clear and realistic thresholds to educators and families that would call for modified days or additional cooling supports. We additionally call on Denver Public Schools officials to back decisions made at the school level to either release early or close when faced with heat-related problems. ”
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