What to Know
- All Philly public schools will dismiss early Wednesday and Thursday due to excessive heat.
- Thursday will mark the fifth time already this school year that Philly schools dismiss early.
- Some suburban schools are also dealing with heat issues and letting kids out of class early, as well.
Oppressive heat has forced the Philadelphia School District to dismiss classes early Wednesday and Thursday, marking the fourth and fifth early dismissals already this year.
The district announced that public schools would be dismissed at noon Wednesday Thursday and that all after-school activities, including athletic programs and professional development sessions, are also canceled.
Class was held normally Tuesday despite temps pushing into the 90s with feels-like temps expected in the triple digits. The heat and humidity are expected to make it feel around 100 again on Thursday after pushing near records on Wednesday, the NBC10 First Alert Weather Team says.
The decision to cut short more school days came after students were dismissed early due to heat three times last week.
Some suburban schools, including Cheltenham High and Elkins Park schools in the Cheltenham School District, closed early Tuesday and Wednesday due to excessive heat.
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Older school buildings without air conditioning can become stifling on oppressively hot days.
Some parents, teachers and elected officials are calling for change.
"It is inhumane for children to attend buildings where there is no escape from the heat," Philadelphia Councilwoman Helen Gym, D, said. "It is impossible to believe that in 2018 that our childrens' learning in the city of Philadelphia is held captive right now because of the conditions of our buildings."
Gym and other leaders called for better school funding. Gym estimated the cost for window units in every Philly classroom to be around $4 million.
