AVON LAKE, Ohio — Heat and air quality warnings forced some schools to close Tuesday, with some districts saying conditions were too dangerous for staff and students in buildings without air conditioning.
In Avon Lake, five of the district’s seven school buildings do not have air conditioning and were closed due to the weather.
“It gets very uncomfortable very quickly and I can’t imagine putting 23 or 24 kindergarten children in a room like this,” said Ned Lauver, Avon Lake’s operations manager.
On Tuesday he took us to Eastview Elementary School. The brick building from the 1950s can accommodate up to 400 students on a typical school day.
“There is quite a bit of stagnation in most areas, especially at this time of year, it is really bubbling up there,” said Lauver.
Many classrooms have ceiling fans, and the district provides portable air conditioners for some staff or students with health conditions. Lauver said that even with the extra measures, the buildings can be unsafe in extreme heat.
“Health and safety come first. And we don’t want to end up in a situation where we have to cancel classes,” he said.
Joelle Magyar, superintendent of Avon Lake City Schools, added, “When temperatures in the hallways in the building can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, this effort is critical. You have to think about the health and safety of the children.”
News 5 previously spoke with Magyar about her concerns about the condition of the district’s aging facilities and the need for improvements.
Avon Lake voters will have a bond issue and an operating levy on their ballot in November.
Avon Lake City Schools wants to put bond issue and operating levy on the November ballot
RELATED: Avon Lake City Schools wants to put bond issue and operating levy on the November ballot
The bond issue would fund the construction of a new elementary school for grades 1 through 5, a new middle school for grades 1 through 5, and a new middle school for grades 6 through 8. It would also allow the district to improve the existing Avon Lake High School.
“Air conditioning is one part of it, but even more important is to provide state-of-the-art facilities so that we can educate our children for their future,” explains Magyar.
Shaker Heights voters in November approved a levy to improve the school district’s preschool through 8th grade buildings for the next 50 to 100 years.
Shaker Heights Schools receive voter approval to renovate buildings
RELATED: Shaker Heights Schools receive voter approval to renovate buildings
Currently, only one Shaker Heights City Schools building has central air conditioning. The air conditioning will be part of upgrades that begin this fall, but students attended classes as usual Tuesday. In a note to families, the superintendent said the district is cooling classrooms with fans, encouraging students and staff to stay hydrated and limiting some activities.
Dawn Thomas, a mother of several children who attend a private school in Lorain County, told News 5 she believes accommodations to allow students to attend class should be a priority.
“You have to have a plan B,” she said. “You need fans, you need other solutions. Why can’t you learn outside?”
Districts told News 5 they would continue to monitor heat and conditions inside school buildings. Avon Lake planned to circulate cooler outdoor air overnight and hoped to resume classes Wednesday.
We are moving through
Do you have a story you’d like us to follow? Let us know.
