Too hot for school?
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia School District by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Kristen Graham.
Too hot for school?
Kristen Graham
With temperatures expected to hover around 80 degrees at midday, Monday is far from the hottest June day the region has seen.
But all Philadelphia School District schools are closing at noon, a move that has some scratching their heads.
"The decision was based on the weather forecast," spokesman Fernando Gallard said - weather forecasts officials looked at on Sunday called for a high of 85, with high humidity.
A district press release issued on Sunday said that "temperatures are expected to soar to the upper 90's tomorrow in Philadelphia." Gallard said that was an error.
"The majority of our buildings are not air conditioned, and they do retain heat. It is our experience that if you have two hot days where you don't have the opportunity to air the buildings out, that builds up to having a very hot day on a Monday," Gallard said. "We made a decision, and we move forward with it."
Students' final day of class is Thursday. Many high school and eighth grade graduations are scheduled for this week, but Gallard said he knew of only one scheduled for today - Lincoln High's. That will continue as scheduled, he said - Lincoln is a new building and is air conditioned.
Gallard said that cost was no consideration in the decision to close. The district is in a dire fiscal situation, with a $218 million budget shortfall for 2012-13 that it must finance through borrowing that comes on top of more than $700 million in cuts made this 2011-12 school year. But "cost is not a consideration at all," Gallard said.
Make no mistake - the district's largely old, unairconditioned buildings can be sweltering, even before temperatures hit the '90s. But I'm interested in hearing your take - Philly school staff, students and parents - what were conditions like in your building today?
Comments (91)
It seemed hotter today, on Tuesday. I had three students sleeping by lunch time. There is no way you can keep a first grader awake when it is so humid you can barely breath...and I won't try. Plus the fact that most classes had poor attendance, not sure what is best for these last days. Why not half days?— mrsk- My building is about a hundred years old, 4 stories, all brick, surrounded by blacktop, with air conditioners only in the special ed rooms, computer lab, office and a few kindergarden rooms. On days when the temperature reaches 90 or above outside, inside on the top floor, rooms can be 100 degrees or better. Maybe it was jumping the gun to have a half day yesterday. it certainly wasn't a half day for the teachers in my building who were kept until the last child was picked up at 3:00! If this was a money saving initiative, the district would be better off canceling the 2 professional development days next week, when the teachers will be sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the time to pass. Three days of professional development at the end of the year is highly unnecessary as well as extravagant.— DECsBabe
- Devoted Teacher: You really know people who speak Latin? Latin is a dead language. It hasn't been a "spoken" language since the fall of the Roman Empire.— fortitude
- Yes our building is hot, hot in spring cold in winter. It was about 80 degrees when I came in yesterday morning. I have a thermometer in my room. Im on the 4th floor of my building. If the district really wants to save some money, don't let the teachers come back for 2 days of "professional Development" which they say they have no money for on Monday & Tuesday. Then they wouldn't have to open the buildings. Of course that makes 2 MUCH SENSE.— ramuller32
- Jumping the gun!— swimfishie
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
- This really points to a larger issue. As a teacher in a Philly public high school, we aren't just talking about a single bad decision. This also happened last year with a possible snow day that left the streets dry. What is truly apparent in these instances is the lack of rational fore-thought to assess the severity of things and follow an existing protocol. At the moment, there is no protocol and it only causes problems. schools are left to rearranging schedules, finding out when buses arrive to pick up students, and parents must rapidly arrange for afternoon care. Luckily this wasn't the case, because by this point in the year, students stop coming altogether, with the exception of a few. a lack of uniformity and consistency is truly the problem and one that must be fixed! WHy did the district bring Knudsen in again?— tedteaches17
my office was 86 degrees all day. no windows no ac.one fan.— Myturn- It was hot in the morning in my classroom and it could have ended up being really hot in the afternoon. I left around 1 p.m. I understand the decision. I've been in my school building, which is about 150 years old, on hot days and it's pretty unbearable. We only have air conditioners in about a third of the classrooms.— mjteaches
- FYI...There are no snow days "built" into the calendar. That is why snow days mean make-up days at the end of the year. Also, if students are in school until 12 the state counts the day as a "full day"; no make-up needed. My school was fine; no baking here.— teach02
ANOTHER DIRTY LITTLE DISTRICT "SECRET":
if the district stays open through lunchtime (which sometimes starts at 10:30am), they can claim that they were open the entire day and bill the state for an entire day of 'learning.'
- You're close. If the district stays open through lunchtime, they keep that day's federally funded lunch money, which is doubtlessly used for more than just lunch (they certainly can't spend that much on the slop they give the poor kids). — Devoted Teacher
- My daughter has finals this week as well as final project presentations. This whole half day created a big mess for students who won't get to make their presentations this week because they missed a class period. Their whole final exam grade will be based on the written assignment instead of both the written and oral. Don't say school is over because it most certainly is not. This is just creating confusion for the students— cocoboston
- Nation of wusses....right Eddie?— bobcitydoc
- A Nation of wusses, I wonder if the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan got a half day off today besause of the heat— rblack
- As a teacher it is hot in the classrooms. YOu cannot open windows but about a 1/4 way up. The sun blazes inside, and there are children with health conditions that warrant cooler air. YOu can definitely feel the different walking into the building from outside. I think the district did the right thing allowing children to get into a cooler building at their home.— cody121979
- "Philly teachers get paid $25,000 less a year than suburban teachers for a harder gig. What makes you imagine we're not dedicated? We most certainly don't stay in it for the big bucks."
That's the breaks. I've had jobs where depending on the company I make less than if I was with a different company. Do you think all jobs in one field pay the same amount of money everywhere? I can't speak for you but if the majority of teachers were dedicated, they'd be up in arms and the teacher's union would call a press conference urging the district to keep schools open all day. They would do the same if it was too hot and school was in session all day. Why not do it when the situation is reversed?— AvoidSundanceVacations - Do you really hallucinate that teachers in the district have an iota of power? A few years ago, Philly was the only district not to close in the middle of a blizzard that shut down the state. Teachers attempting to get to work were in traffic accidents all over the city. Two women I knew had their cars totalled (one still has a back injury that flares up occasionally). The district could have cared less about our safety or concerns. Please find one link that reports teachers getting "up in arms" about having to stay at school on a hot day and post it here (good luck).
If you think teacher's opinions mean anything at all to district officials, you haven't been avoiding the sun nearly as much as you should be.— Devoted Teacher - All in all, probably not a big deal. But it does tickle me to read this kind of decision by the District. When I was in Catholic school in the 1950s we had to wear white shirt, coat and tie. They did open the windows. The only relief from the heat was if dispensation from the coat and tie requirement was granted.— Falls Ed
- I can't say I'm surprised, but it is a bit ridiculous. I went to public school in NY in the 90s and we did not have AC, and school was never dismissed early due to heat. Teachers opened the windows, closed the blinds, turned out the lights etc...whatever it took to make it more comfortable. We also had final exams (and state Regents exams) late in mid June which meant you worked until the end of the year to prepare. Philly schools are a joke! After college, I worked at an organization that did behavioral research in Philly schools...let me just tell you, 3/4 of the TEACHERS could barely speak proper English so it's no surprise that the students can't either.— SJUSteve
- I taught today and my children(students) learned!— Dian2350
- chop118, hysterical........disrupt their education. have you seen the test scores in philly. parents don't want it because they don't want their little darlings home with them all day. After all, as Ackerman said, some of them don't eat once they leave the building. Have you seen the size of some of the children in philly?????— dontlikedems
- Thanks for this article. My colleagues and I have plans for our students all week and this cancellation disrupted them. We also have end-of-the-year work to do, but the building was closed as soon as the last child left. Please know that when there's a blizzard and it's dangerous to drive, I really appreciate a snow day, but closing school on Monday because it was hot on Sunday makes no sense at all. The forecast was never for temps in the 90s and neither we nor our students will melt. We had kids whimpering about the weather this morning when it was still 73 degrees because they heard it would be getting hot later in the day.
When the temperature climbs toward 100, by all means close the schools; otherwise, please be reasonable - and don't jump the gun.— Devoted Teacher - the only problem i see here is that now there is more time to go wiling and rob.beat people on the streets. school aged teens should be banned from center city district— raynesrock
- Yet, at 91+ degrees a few weeks ago we held students until 1:00. "Scratching our heads," is an understatement.— ptahan
-
the chillins are held until the district can serve them lunch. once lunch is served the disctict can bill the state for the ENTIRE day. otherwise, the district does not receive payment and will have to plan to be open for another day during the year.
- home early to watch Ukraine vs. Sweden in Euro Cup 2012.
- I went to Catholic school, where we had to wear uniforms, which were very uncomfortable, especially when it got too warm! We were never given an early dismissal for a "HEAT DAY"...CHANGE OF THE TIMES!!!— cmuller2539
- This is the administrators trying to get a half a day off for themselves and the teachers and they get paid whether they are home or in school. This move is also a way to get teacher support for the next contract negotiations. To think Obama wants to pay teachers even more. They're not even dedicated now with less pay. These unions milking the system is just too much anymore.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- There is no part of your post that's not delusional.
Half a day off isn't really half a day off. We all have to stay in the building until the last child is picked up. Sometimes that ends up being the regular time.
We have things to do to wrap up the year and this disruption really interferes with them.
How will this inspire me to support a contract offer that amounts to a pay decrease in times where prices are skyrocketing?
Philly teachers get paid $25,000 less a year than suburban teachers for a harder gig. What makes you imagine we're not dedicated? We most certainly don't stay in it for the big bucks.
— Devoted Teacher - This has nothing to do with your bogeyman the Union and that scary ethnic guy named Obama. Considering your writing you should have paid attention more in class. proofread!!! — phil80
- This is pathetic...so because the school can't afford a proper cooling system the children's education has to suffer. Also what about the working mother's? I am beyond words when it comes to how the school district is ALLOWED to operate. I am so happy as of Thursday my children will no longer be apart of the Philadelphia School System AGAIN!!!— chop1118
- Too hot for school? The answer is no! Another bad decision made by the decision makers in Philly...no wonder this city is in the shape it's in.— 2Copsmom
Comment removed.- They don't want the fat kids to croak. Because we have like 10 times the amount of fat kids, ya know.— 215PhillySean
- BWAHAHAHAA!!!!!!! Too many laughs and misinformation on this page. It's just another bad decision by the SDP. btw...Mr. gallard...Lincoln's graduation is scheduled for tomorrow at 9:30 am...OUTSIDE!!!!— cgraham
- @demise1893: sure, let's have 12 months of school. then classes will be cancelled throughout July and August due to excessive heat. NITWIT.— brio
- and the teachers and the rest of the staff are getting paid for a full day? where are the savings? Good thing they aren't in catholic schools where the only relief you got was loosening your tie and unbuttoning your top button. this is why kids coming out of philly schools have no gumption or drive to make anything of themselves. they got breakfast, lunch and free transpasses though. breakfast at 7:30 a.m. - lunch at 10:30 a.m. don't want them going hungry.— dontlikedems
- 84 degrees, breezy, thanks SDOP! If shutting the electricty off in the building for a half a day, one day, is going to save the district money,God help us. I thought all schools had air conditioners placed in them during Ackerman's reign during summer enrichment. she didn't want her babies to sweat. Most schools have air conditioning, they just don't want them running up the bills.— dontlikedems
- Comment removed.
- @tomfox....There were no snow days built into the schedule. If you look here, you will see that school was only scheduled for 181 days for kids. http://www.philasd.org/calendar/2011_2012/— jcc0621
- At any rate, when the schools close at 12:09, it's considered a "full day" as long as the kids get lunch. It has nothing to do with snow days.
There were probably good intentions involved in this decision. but the fallout will have use in school until 3:09 PM for the rest of the week, even if temps hit 99.— Devoted Teacher - I'm sure I would have appreciated this 20 years ago when I was a SDP student, but i seems like a quiet way to save a few dollars near the end of a long and tumultuous school year.— FATETech
- fake Magistra alert— brinsley
- My son's NJ school district is 1/2 day all week. In Philly, however, parents require expensive babysitting. As a result, the most knuckle-headed kids will show up early and stay as long as possible each and every day. Add an old, hot building and you have a recipe for hell.
Really, why do we need full days this week? Grades are finished and I got the report cards today. My progress reports (special ed) were completed a week ago.— nikki1231 
No school, no pay. How ya like dem apples? This IS ridiculous and an enormous waste of tax dollars. My god, it's 80 degrees today and to read some of these posts, you'd think we live in frigging Afghanistan!— The Monk- Then let us choose to stay in school regardless of the temperature. We were kicked out today. — Devoted Teacher
- Comment removed.
- Lloyde- my room and several others in my school don't have windows. The entire top floor has rooms with 2 12 inch wide windows that open 8 inches due to guards. The heat in the school was more due to yesterday. You should come visit, you might get a better idea. Also, people, the teachers and the union played NO part in closing schools. And Yes, students are still working!!!! — phil80
- Kenny Gamble's school has AC— Bob The Teacher
- The buildings are grossly hot. When I went to school in Philly, it was bad. The humidity and temperatures have increased since then, especially earlier in the summer. I agree with the decision - one of the few good ones administrators have made this year.— omseeker
- Public schools are spending 93 percent more than the estimated median private school - the cash burn drives up the heat.— Louie DePalma
- They should extend the school year to 12 months with shorter days, or 4 days a week. A two and a half month break just gets students out of rhythm.— demise1893
- it's the same deal with big snow too - they make decisions to close before a flake even falls.— Fascism Rules
- The real story is that students are sitting in class doing nothing. I don't care that grades are in. That doesn't mean learning has to stop. And don't tell me kids will refuse to do anything. I taught in philly for 9 years. If you come up with something that is both educational and interesting, students will definitely get engaged. As a teacher you have a choice - either kill time, or make these days - days that are free of the boring old curriculum - the best and most educational days of the year. Many teachers do that, but clearly not all and this decision to close early was obviously a recognition that not much teaching or learning is happening these days. Just wrong!— bikesrbest
- It is 12:34 PM and the temperature is 80 F with 62% humidity. Whimps!— harbc
- Sissy Society strkes again!! Half of them would have committed suicide if they didn't shut them down!! Sissies!!!!— elfman
- They count in a couple of snow days every year. The mild winter made them not needed so they come up with reasons like this to close early.— mikegdj
- The top floor of my building is at baking level, extremely hot. Remember, this is not like in the burbs where there are lots of fields, reflective roofs, etc. Most schools are surrounded by concrete yards, lots and commercial areas that just radiate the heat. I'm over 6 foot and thin-so I can't imagine how some of the bigger people are doing.— phil80
- I am betting that since winter was so mild, those snow days built into the schedule were going unused, so the PFT pushed to use them.— tomfox
- Comment removed.
- If school really is already done, then why this charade? Just close the system down NOW!— The Monk
- Hey, IMATEACHER, why don't you give them something to do instead of reading this and posting on the internet. Do your job!— gYo
- Agreed. Although odds are high that this person is not a teacher. — Devoted Teacher
- .— The Monk
- My grade school was always open except for snow days(and not air-conditioned). We sat in the heat regardless. I remember we made paper fans to use while in class. Somehow we all survived.— philharmonic55
- Recent research determined that students and teachers in Taxadelphia melt at about 80 dgrees Fahrenehit. So THIS is the new school administration....— The Monk
- That was at least funny.... — phil80
- Let's get real........school's over in Philly!— Timmy Huey
- This is just a way to try and save some money. Everyone knows grades are in and nothing is being done anyway. Make the rest of the week 1/2 days so that parents can make arrangements accordingly.— jcc0621
- This is just a way to try and save some money. Everyone knows grades are in and nothing is being done anyway. Make the rest of the week 1/2 days so that parents can make arrangements accordingly.— jcc0621
- your philly dot com temperature reading shows 79 at noon. when i was a kid they would wait until the actual event occurred (heat, snow, whatever) instead of opting for preemption. plus, what are you teaching the kids who might have to, as soon as school ends, go to work when it's hot.— eaglesfillthesky
- Sitting in class now ready to leave. Students have nothing to do, this was all to get people out of the buildings. Students shouldn't have class at all this week.— IMATEACHER
- If you're really a teacher, you should be giving students something to do - and you shouldn't be online. Your language suggests that you might actually be a student. — Devoted Teacher
- You're obviously not really a teacher if you think kids are working like it's PSSA week on a hot half day with just a few days left in the year. To think... I felt sorry for you before when those above blasted you for not recognizing latin. Maybe you teach in a private school. — PhillySteel36
- Your post makes no sense. No one said anything about working like it's PSSA week. School remains in session, though, and it's our job to keep on teaching, making it as interesting and fun as possible. Interesting for you to react this way considering I supported you a few days ago when you posted about another story. You're welcome.
I could care less about the Latin jibes. I know one teacher out of dozens of good ones who speak Latin. It's a great language to know, but it's certainly not a common one to take up in this day and age. I proudly teach in an inner city school, btw, with kids who deserve more than a marginalized education offered by people who think they can stop working after Memorial Day. Happily, most of my colleagues believe otherwise.— Devoted Teacher - Hot. Should be 1/2 days for students the whole week.— Mr Norristown 6
- Comment removed.
- I think I've finally got you figured out, cleanup. You're 10 years old! — PhillySteel36
- non story.— Rambert80
- Sissy's— cmoney
- Yes they are, but they had the time to use and the intentions were good ones but as usual the district makes the wrong decision again.
— Originale Magistra - The original Magistra can most likely spell the word "original." — Devoted Teacher
- I do declare. And you call yourself a teacher? Clearly you never had experienced the joy of the study of Latin. My Latin teacher was Magistra to me. Originale translates to English as original. Just like the English accomponeying icon. As a student of Latin, I got it immediately. You Madam are what we call in New Orleans- an imbecile.
— clay_bertrand - You are correct Clay. It has been a while since I had my high school Latin, but that is rather basic. Some say that Latin is the root of all language, and certainly English is a derivative of Latin. I find it very odd that a so called "Devoted Teacher" did not recognize that. Notice how she was first to pounce for a perceived misspelling and just wrote about the misspelling with venom in her soul. She did not comment at all on the subject of the story. This must be one of those malcontent incompetent overpaid PFT slugs that brought SDP to their knees with exorbitant costs and little production. I see those teacher slugging out of school early. It gives the truly devoted teachers a bad name. How could a teacher not recognize Latin? Anyway, to get back to the article, the district really messed-up because the temperature and humidity today was very comfortable.
— Mr_Hankey
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Inquirer reporter Kristen Graham writes the Philly School Files blog, where she covers education in Philadelphia, both in and out of the classroom.
During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
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