PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It’s the first day of school for students in the Philadelphia School District, but many will go home early because their buildings do not have adequate air conditioning.
The district had moved the start of classes to Sept. 5, after Labor Day, to try to avoid any heat-related interruptions. However, a heat wave, which has the potential to break heat-related records, is smothering the region and creating major interruptions for parents, students and faculty.
Students at 74 school buildings — about 34% of all district-operated schools — will be dismissed three hours early on Tuesday, Sept. 5, and Wednesday, Sept. 6. Those affected buildings have weak air conditioning systems or none at all.
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While greeting bus drivers at the depot in Southwest Philadelphia before their routes Tuesday morning, Superintendent Tony Watlington acknowledged that these aging buildings are a “reflection of historic underfunding.” The average Philly school building is 74 years old.
“School buildings are just like your car. Over time if you don’t invest in them, you have to spend more money downstream,” he said.
Regardless of the rocky start to the school year, Watlington is optimistic about the fall semester.
“I’m really proud of the team that worked all summer long to install more air conditioners, to get the schools cleaned and ready to go for students,” he said. The district has also been working to address multiple aging school buildings marred by asbestos.
“I’m looking forward to all of our students, all of our young people, all of our scholars having an opportunity to have a fresh new start,” Watlington continued. “No matter what happened last school year, the best thing about being a school student, a teacher, principal, superintendent is every year, you get a fresh start.”
This heat wave is not only interrupting city schools. The Upper Darby School District is sending students home early through Thursday. The Camden City School District is operating on a half-day schedule at least on Wednesday and Thursday. All after-school activities are canceled on those days. Officials warn that school buses may be late.
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The William Penn School District in Delaware County will dismiss students early Wednesday through Friday, as not all of its buildings are air-conditioned.