On Tuesday, parents lined up outside of Brownstone Intermediate School in Portland to pick up their children a few hours before class typically ends.
“They are super excited because they are getting out early,” Tanya DeMerchant, of Portland, said. “I think it’s just difficult for a lot of parents and I am luckier than most because I work from home. I have some flexibility in my schedule and not everybody has that.”
Brownstone Intermediate School was one of three elementary schools in town that got out early because the buildings do not have air conditioning.
“One of our buildings in particular, Brownstone is a beautiful building. It has a nice slate roof but that slate roof just traps the heat and humidity on the second floor and it really becomes oppressive,” Portland Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Britton said.
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Britton said the heat and its impact on learning in the classroom has sparked conversations about updates to some of the school buildings.
“The need for good indoor air quality is now more important than ever and I am looking forward to engaging my community with discussions about facilities enhancements that are needed for the next generation of students because we have to expect this extreme weather to continue," Britton said. “If we built a new facility, or upgraded an existing facility, HVAC systems would be paramount.”
The heat could also have an impact on sports practices this week.
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“Our athletic director and principal are going to be communicating with coaches. I imagine they will be adjusting the schedules and it's a good time to be practicing indoors or maybe working on plays,” Britton said.
Parents agreed with the district's decision, saying safety is the priority.
“I was happy because I know the school gets really hot,” Krista Rosado, of Portland, said. "It’s the first week of school and they are missing a lot.”
“It’s hot, they don’t have air conditioning, they should get out early,” Troy Matterfis, of Portland, said.
In addition to Portland, Litchfield Public Schools had early dismissals, and public schools in Newtown and Thomaston have made the call to have early dismissals on Wednesday and Thursday.
