An Update Regarding Next Week’s Extreme Heat

September 1, 2023

Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

The National Weather Service is forecasting extreme heat in the Philadelphia area next week. Therefore, in anticipation, and to ensure safe and healthy school environments for our students and staff, the School District of Philadelphia is making schedule adjustments for schools without air conditioning or schools with inadequate cooling. The schools listed below will have a three hour early dismissal on Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Dismissal times are as follows:

The District will continue to monitor heat conditions throughout the week. Any decisions about Thursday September 7 or Friday, September 8 will be communicated by noon the day before.

For schools that have air conditioning systems that are currently not operating properly, principals will collaborate with District leadership to make a plan, and communicate that plan directly with their school communities.

The District’s Extreme Heat Emergency Response Procedures are activated when outside temperatures are forecasted to reach or exceed 85℉ for one or more consecutive days. To minimize last-minute disruption for our students, families and staff, our goal is to make schedule decisions as early as possible, and no later than 24 hours in advance.

Exposure to excessive heat can cause heat-related illness such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In extreme heat and during the summer months, please remember to keep your children hydrated and dressed in light-colored and lightweight clothing, and be sure they wear sunscreen. You can also review this Keeping Kids Safe When Temperatures Soar resource for other helpful tips.

We have been working with urgency over the past five years to install updated air conditioning systems and the extensive electrical systems that support them in our schools. We will continue to expedite this work, in alignment with the strategic actions outlined in our strategic plan – Accelerate Philly – in order to eliminate extreme heat as a disruption to in-person learning.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigate extreme heat conditions during our first week of school. Despite the heat, we are excited to welcome all our students back for school year 2023-2024!

Sincerely,

Oz Hill

The School District of Philadelphia
Chief Operations Officer

(*) Schools have PreK/Head Start on-site.