No AC in school

[mattemma04]

Does anyone have their kids in a school with no AC? How does the school help ensure safety during such hot days? My dd says her class has 2 box fans(that do not move) in the front of the class and that is it.She drank a bit of water from the fountain 2 times. She is miserable most of the day(inside and outside) and the temp is rising for the next two days. I know some schools canceled for really hot days.

Though we have little money I would be happy to donate some toward better fans that move the air around in the classroom.Is that something the PTA would do?

[canteloupe]

My daughter's school does not have a/c either. Her teacher has two or three oscalating (the ones that rotate) in the room and that seems to help a little. We received a note in our take home folders requesting that we send in some type of water bottle for the kids to keep at their seats because of the temperature and my daughter's teacher has them refill them several times a day.

Hope that helps.

[dziejen]

I am not sure what area you are in but I'm guessing not our part of the country because AC isn't really much of a concern right now (the temp is about 70 degrees) but we do get hot here in New England in the early summer (we are in school until mid/late June) and we have no AC. The kids are encouraged to keep water with them and the teachers do what they can to minimize the heat (keep lights low, windows open, quieter activities, etc.) Many rooms have fans but not really huge heavy duty ones.

[34me]

We don't have AC in any of the three schools my kids are at. The elementary ones have fans but not the junior high. They are all allowed to have water bottles.

[jennlyn]

Common sense would dictate that the children be allowed to drink as much water as they would like. Water bottles would be great , provided that they only contain water and not other beverages. My elementary and middle schools did not have a/c and I don't recall anyone ever taking any extra precautions other than opening the windows. A friend of mine went to school in FL in the days when there was no a/c and doesn't recall anything special being done. She stills lives there and there have been times when the a/c has gone out at her kids schools and they just have to deal with it. The high school is worse, as many of the classes have no windows at all. You can acclimate to higher temperatures- if you know your dc don't have a/c at school I wouldn't keep the a/c on cold at home all the time- it makes the transition that much harder, plus make sure they drink plenty of water at home. Staying hydrated at all times helps.

[LynnS6]

Talk to the PTA about fans -- every room should have 2-3 stand fans that oscillate to help. And maybe the PTA could raise money for water bottles to be kept at school.

My kids' schools don't have air. My office doesn't have air. But then we live in the Pacific NW and we need air conditioning about 4 days a year! It doesn't get warm until July, and September is the only other month that could be iffy. Our problem is doing recess in the rain 6-7 months of the year!

[polyhymnia]

We didn't have AC in my schools growing up (in NH, and it gets HOT at the start and end of the school year). Some teachers brought fans in. We would open windows, and we were allowed to wear tank tops and flip flops when the temperature was above 85 degrees (normally we couldn't). I do remember the school computer lab shutting down when it was too hot because the computers were overheating but that's about it. We just managed, somehow...

[Momily]

My school and my son's school do have airconditioning, but many schools in our city don't. They often don't have windows that open either (at the same schools), and I live in an area where 100 degree school days are not uncommon. It's deplorable.

When DS was in Kindergarten he attended a school that only had airconditioning in the portable classrooms that housed PreK and K. Every year there are a couple of days in June when school closes at noon due to heat. On one of those days they closed with about 20 minutes notice (got to love our public schools) and moved all the kids to the floor of the gym -- the unairconditioned gym to wait for parents. I was at a First Aid/CPR training about 45 minutes away so by the time I heard about the closing and got there So my asthmatic child was sitting on the floor of a crowded, 100+ degree room with no airconditioning, no fans, and no openable window, despite the fact that he had AC in his classroom.

[EFmom]

Our schools don't have AC. Neither does my house. So, I have no problem with dds being in a school with no AC.

[AmandasMom]

we started school in the beginning of august. the schools have AC but the buses didn't. they closed school for a week because of 107 temps and even higher temps on the buses because of no ac. we are in middle tennessee, and have broken every record this year from drought to all time high temp.

[Tradd]

My elementary & high schools didn't have a/c. The middle school I went to for 7th grade *did* have a/c, but only because it was a newer school.

Here in Chicago, most of the schools were built before 1930. No a/c, of course.

[lightheart]

some tips to help your child stay cool...

personal water fan or spray mister
hat wet
bandana wet wrapped around the neck
cooling vest or jacket, they also sell bandana type things, do a web search
light weight clothing, natural fibers
tie wet strips of cloth to the fan to evaporte
popcicles for snack if teacher has access to freezer


check with the school or teacher I'm sure they would not said no if you donated an extra fan or two

if your child has real issues with heat, whether it's asthma or where they don't sweat you can go through the IEP process and make sure your child is protected whether it is on the bus or while they are at school.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I had no idea it was even legal to hold school without a/c : with dd's asthma that wouldnt work at all. She has to have a place to go that is cool.

[momz3]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

I had no idea it was even legal to hold school without a/c : with dd's asthma that wouldnt work at all. She has to have a place to go that is cool.

I know! We are here in TX and they do not even go outside for recess if it is too hot...I can't imagine small kids going all day (atleast here in TX) without air conditioning.

[Aura_Kitten]

WOW! I'm another mama that can't imagine school without A/C.

When I was in high school, we had blackouts during summer that forced us to be in classes without it, and all of the teachers ended up holding class outside.

But then, we're in CA ~ where temperatures in summer routinely climb to 114+ in the heart of summer.

[fyoosh]

I am originally from hel... er, I mean Florida, so I was shocked when I found out my son's elementary school didn't have a/c (since all the schools I went to did). But they aren't IN school here during the hottest time of the year (July), so it isn't that horrible. They have fans, and they open the windows. His school was built in, I believe, 1952. Today was only 59 degrees, so it was great! I love when it starts getting cooler!

[mattemma04]

It is cooling down so the kids are dealing with it better.I did contact the PTA,so we will see if anything becomes of that.I would be happy to donate money for better fans or window ac units.

LOL,dd was a bit miffed when I mentioned that I noticed the other day that the school office has a window ac unit.Must be nice to chill all day while the student population bakes during their academics.

[Maggi315]

We've had some schools that don't have a/c. We did not have AC when I was growing up. and I think it is a big disadvantage to learning, I was so hot and tired that I absolutely did not pay attention. And it aggravated my asthma.

for most kids, I don't think it's dangerous, just uncomfortable, but for kids with asthma, it is dangerous!

Even if the PTA raised the money for the AC, would they be able to pay for the added cost of electricity? that would be something to think about.