Classes in 19 of Central’s classrooms will have the option to relocate to the Auditorium due to excessive heat on Thursday, Aug. 24. Homeroom for the day will also be canceled and the school will follow the Monday and Friday bell schedule.
Rooms 219-228, 313, 315 and 319-325 will all have the option to relocate.
“We were alerted that it was like a sauna in some rooms, and we went upstairs and verified,” Principal Jackie Thornton said. “It was uncomfortably hot. I think the temperature reading in one room was 86 degrees with no people in there and the lights off at 8 p.m. So we worked with those department chairs to determine which are the rooms that are affected, and made a decision to move those for the day.”
According to Thornton, the heat is not a result of any technical issues.
“Our HVAC units are working at their full capacity,” Thornton said. “But it is 100 degrees outside and one of our exterior walls is missing [due to ongoing construction].”
Homeroom was canceled due to a combination of the heat and relocations, Thornton said.
“The homeroom plan had all freshmen in the main gym to learn how to be Redhawks in the stands and learn their class cheer,” Thornton said. “[The gym is] not air conditioned and not a good idea [to have that many students in]. So it’s just easier with all the moving pieces today to take the homeroom piece out.”
Relocated teachers should expect to be back in their classrooms on Aug. 25, Thornton said.
“We believe that as long as everything stays in operation, that the cooler temperatures tomorrow [Aug. 25] will mean we’ll be back in those classrooms,” Thornton said.
This story is still developing, and will be updated as more information becomes available.
