THUNDER BAY – The last days of summer have seen record temperatures in Thunder Bay this week.
It’s also caused concerns for local high schools and elementary schools that don’t have air conditioning, with reports of high school students leaving classes early and being picked up by parents to escape the heat.
However, officials with Lakehead Public Schools and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board said that they haven’t received any complaints or are aware of students walking out.
“Our Plant Department has been working with the schools where there are challenging temperatures, as our schools do not have air conditioning,” Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board communications officer Alexandra Frankow said in an e-mail to TBT News.
“We are actively monitoring the situation and taking appropriate measures to ensure a safe and comfortable environment, including: continuously monitoring each school's ventilation system to ensure maximum efficiency, adjusting physical activity, ensuring hydration, and making use of cooler spaces within our buildings.
“The health of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to review and adapt our procedures as needed.”
Lakehead Public School said in a prepared statement that they will continue to monitor the situation and adapt procedures accordingly until seasonal temperatures return to normal.
Thunder Bay nearly set a third straight temperature record on Wednesday as Environment Canada logged a temperature of 29. C.
The record for Sept. 18 was 30.6 C set in 1976.
