Chicago heat wave: Extreme temps move CPS recess, activities indoors; sports games postponed
CHICAGO - Recess and outdoor activities at Chicago Public Schools will be moved indoors this week and outdoor sports games and practices will be postponed Wednesday and Thursday because of the extreme heat forecasted to hit the city.
Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-90s with dangerous heat indexes soaring up to 115 degrees, the National Weather Service said in an excessive heat watch that runs from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said the heat "poses a significant challenge to our public school system during this crucial first week of classes," and city agencies from the schools to police, fire, health and transportation are working together to prepare.
"My administration is mobilizing the full force of government in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Teachers Union and the Service Employees International Union Local 73 to better coordinate resources" this week, Johnson said in a statement.
In an email to all district families Tuesday, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said all classrooms have air conditioning, and crews will work to fix any cooling problems that arise this week.
The start of the school year typically features breakdowns in air conditioning at schools across the city. The average CPS building is about 83 years old.
High school athletes practice early to beat the heat
Chicago area schools are squeezing in athletics practices prior to the extreme heat rolling in later Wednesday. Football and cross country practice began as early as 6 a.m. at St. Ignatius College Prep. The IHSA has strict rules concerning practice conditions.
The concerns this year have been exacerbated by the district’s mid-August start to the school year, a change since the pandemic. CPS had long stuck with a post-Labor Day start even when suburban districts moved earlier into August. Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates criticized CPS on Monday for "haphazardly" introducing the new calendar given the heat that typically descends on Chicago this month.
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A CPS spokeswoman didn’t immediately say how many calls had come in about weak or broken AC the first two days of school. The district said Monday it hadn’t heard of any major problems.
Officials recommend students bring full water bottles to school the rest of this week and said teachers will give kids opportunities to refill them throughout the day. The city coordinated with United Way of Metro Chicago and World Business Chicago to secure 12,000 bottled water donations from private companies like PepsiCo, Fresh Market Place, Keurig and Jewel-Osco.
The district’s extreme heat plan also includes: Drawing shades in rooms to keep sunlight out; turning off overhead lights, computers and appliances when not in use; and moving classes from rooms exposed to sunlight to auditoriums or lower-level rooms.
School staffers are also working to create temporary committees to identify heat concerns this week and notify the district’s central office.
All outdoor sports games are postponed Wednesday and Thursday, officials announced, and all practices will either be canceled or moved indoors for those two days. Tickets already purchased for those games won’t be refunded, but they can be used for the rescheduled game. Sports can resume as scheduled on Friday unless otherwise updated.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications also advised Chicagoans to drink plenty of water, avoid spending time outside, keep electric lights off or turned down, minimize use of ovens and stoves, and wear light, loose and cotton clothing. People and pets shouldn’t be left in cars, even for a few minutes.
Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating; cold, pale and clammy skin; a fast and weak pulse; nausea or vomiting; muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness; dizziness; and headache. A heat stroke would also include a body temperature above 103 degrees, hot or red skin and a fast and strong pulse. Officials advise calling 911 immediately at the sign of heat stroke.