zNewsletter Sunday

Too hot to handle

High temps lead to early dismissal at Hollidaysburg

After a cool August, early September reminded people this week that summer isn't over -- as Tuesday and today are expected to be among the hottest days of the year, according to the National Weather Service.

It was so hot that Hollidaysburg Area School District dismissed early Tuesday and plans the same for today -- something the district had never done before because of heat, as far as he knows, said Superintendent Bob Gildea.

Four of the five district schools lack air conditioning, and with its big windows, the third floor of the junior high school is especially susceptible to solar radiation in the afternoons, Gildea said Tuesday in the air conditioned administrative offices.

"It can be 10 degrees warmer than the outside air: it really bakes," Gildea said. "It likely will be reaching triple digits."

The temperature reached about 90 Tuesday and was expected to be in the low 90s today, with a heat index in the mid-90s, according to Joe Bauco, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in State College.

Given the conditions, a mid-90s heat index is "alarming," Gildea said.

The second floors of Foot of Ten and Frankstown elementary schools have smaller windows than the junior high, but don't have AC either, and they too get hot, Gildea said.

The high school is air conditioned, but its students ride the same buses as the junior high kids, which meant that the early dismissal needed to be districtwide, he explained.

The decision to dismiss early arose out of an early Tuesday meeting of the administrative team, Gildea said, and no one objected to the idea of an early dismissal.

Altering the schedule for any reason is a logistical challenge, Gildea said.

On the district side, the challenge is focused on transportation, requiring coordination with transport contractor Fullington, he said.

That coordination includes ensuring that buses can take the private school students in the district -- those who attend Bishop Guilfoyle, St. Patrick's, Pennmont Academy and Great Commission schools -- where they need to go, he said.

It's also a challenge for parents, many of whom need to make special arrangements, including for child care, Gildea said.

Aside from the early dismissals this week, the district does what it can to mitigate discomfort from heat for students and staff in the places that aren't air conditioned, he said.

Custodians come in early, open windows and turn on fans, which help keep things cool for several hours, he said.

And when it's hot, students and teachers can bring water bottles and dress comfortably -- in shorts if they like, he said.

It's probably more important to keep the problem of heat in mind nowadays than it used to be, because air conditioning has grown more prevalent, so that most people have become conditioned to expect it, Gildea said.

The hot weather Tuesday and today is due to an upper level high pressure system stalled over Pennsylvania, Bauco said.

Despite September's association with cooler fall weather, it's not terribly unusual that the hottest days of the year may occur early this month, Bauco said.

Temperatures will moderate as the week goes on, with a high around 90 Thursday, then dipping into the low 80s Friday, with thunder showers possible both days, Bauco said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.