Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

TOO HOT TO EDUCATE

Heat closes schools early

Heat wave likely to ease this weekend

By Matthew Stone mstone@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA — Pools, ice cream and taking shelter in cool basements.

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Jennifer Tinnin picked up her first-grade son Dawson Tinnin early on Thursday afternoon at Farrington Elementary School in Augusta. She said that he was going to have to go back to work with her at the Windsor Veterinary Clinic for the afternoon. All of the elementary schools in the city had an early release at noon because of the heat.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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It’s not how the first days of most school years unfold, but that’s how Thursday played out for students in three Augusta-area school districts.

Citing a heat index that had risen too high in classrooms that lack air conditioning, superintendents in Augusta, Gardiner-based Regional School Unit 11 and the eight-town Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit called off classes early on Thursday.

Augusta’s public schools dismissed students in kindergarten through eighth grade at noon, while high school students stayed in class. It was the second day of the year for most students and the first for kindergarteners, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

“It was unacceptably high,” Augusta schools Superintendent Cornelia Brown said of the heat index. “I’ve never seen weather like this. I don’t remember an opening of school like this.”

Parents interviewed Thursday as they picked up their children at Augusta’s Farrington Elementary School generally agreed with the early closure decision.

“I’d rather have them home than in a classroom that’s 100-and-something degrees,” said Missy Tobias as she picked up ker kids: Quincy, a second grader, and Virginia, a fourth grader.

The trio planned to spend the afternoon in the pool.

“The fact that it’s the second day of school, it’s unfortunate, but it was way too hot in those classrooms,” said Angela Hinkley, who was picking up her daughter Leelu, a second grader. “I can’t even imagine the buses.”

Afternoon plans included hanging out in a cool basement and ice cream.

“We’ve got to make the most of it,” Hinkley said.

Still, it’s frustrating that city schools can’t keep cool enough, said Darick Frith, who had to leave work early to pick up his daughter, Tala Peaslee, a fourth grader.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to keep the school cold,” he said, suggesting the city’s schools invest in air conditioning.

In RSU 11 — which serves Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph and West Gardiner — the high school and middle school closed at 11:30, while the five elementary schools let out students an hour later, Superintendent Patricia Hopkins said.

“It was just so oppressive,” she said. “We had people starting to feel the effects of the heat.”

It was the first day of class for Gardiner Area High School students in grades 10 through 12 and the second day for everyone else.

The Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit — which serves students from Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor and Wiscasset — closed all schools at noon, administrative assistant Roxy Prescott said.

School in that district had started on Monday for most students and Tuesday for sophomore, juniors and seniors at Wiscasset High School.

The Maranacook-area schools — which serve Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne — kept students in class throughout the day, but canceled all afternoon athletic practices, administrative assistant Donna Foster said.

Matthew Stone — 623-3811, ext. 435
mstone@centralmaine.com