The vast majority of schools in the Peterborough area do not have air conditioning so the current heat wave is challenging students and teachers to keep up with the curriculum.
In fact, in some cases, staff have had to leave school because the heat made it impossible to continue.
Bell would like to see school boards and the ministry of education have plans in place to deal with extreme heat events. She says this could include the establishment of ‘heat days’. Like ‘snow days,’ this would mean students would not be expected to attend school to avoid dangerous conditions.
At 104-year-old King George School, Principal Marguerite Matheson says they are doing their best in the heat.
This includes making sure everyone drinks lots of water, stays out of the direct sunlight and avoids strenuous physical activity. She says they also take turns sharing the coolest room in the school, the basement gym.
“We closed our gym down, and invited staff to bring their classes downstairs if they had a quiet activity they could sit on the gym floor,” said Matheson.
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