Other than a lack of students on the normally busy front lawn of the high school, it was business as usual in the Peekskill City Schools Thursday. Superintendent Larry Licopoli said the schools were dealing with the first heat wave of the summer as well as could be expected.
This morning I was in each of the buildings except one, and each building has its own warm and hot spots but it was certainly okay, Licopli said. The air conditioned places were good and in the places where there wasnt air there was plenty of ventilation, with blinds down and fans in the room.
All buildings in the district have air conditioning to one degree or another, but only the new middle school building is completely air conditioned, Licopoli said. Some buildings have a wing, some buildings have a floor, obviously individual classrooms, the nurses office, the libraries in temperatures like this where necessary we try to rotate kids in the areas that are air conditioned,Licopoli said.
An effort has been made to ensure every classroom has a fan and that measures were taken to keep buildings cool such as shutting the blinds in buildings where possible and making sure students had access to water, especially those who might be outside.
For one building we sent over several cases of water bottles, I believe it was for an outdoor class, Licopoli said. Principals were also asked to use judgment in allowing students outdoors for recess, although no studentshad been reported to have had been adversely affected by the extreme heat, Licopli said.
District officials expect the hot weather to subside by the time schools starts Friday morning, and all schools except the high school will have a half day to allow for a professional development day.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
