MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Schools is letting students out early on Wednesday, Aug. 25 due to particularly hot weather in the forecast.
MPS said in a statement Tuesday night that all schools will start at their regular times with dismissals as follows:
- Schools that begin at 7:20 a.m. and 8:05 a.m. will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m.
- Schools that begin at 9:00 a.m. will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m.
TMJ4 News confirmed with the district that the high temps in the forecast is the reason for the shorted school day.
MPS continues that breakfast and lunch will be served; buses will be available to pick up students at early dismissal; families that normally pick up their child from school will need to adhere to the new end times; and all after-school activities, Recreation Child Care Camps, Community Learning Centers (CLCs), Safe Places will be canceled for the afternoon and evening.
The teachers union, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, said they met with MPS officials Tuesday night, "to make sure students and staff would not be forced to suffer through tomorrow's predicted heat and humidity leading to this decision to go to a half day. There's power in a union!" according to a statement posted to social media.
The high on Wednesday is forecasted at 91 degrees - with the heat index near 100.
On Tuesday TMJ4 News talked with parents who shared concerns that schools may not be safe if temperatures get too hot, especially for schools with no air conditioning and only fans running.
Brianna Smith has two children who attend Golda Meir School, and for the past week, they've come home miserable.
"The lack of air moving around from maybe one or two fans is taking a toll on them," Smith said.
Even more so for her son, who sometimes is in a classroom with no fan, which triggers his extreme migraines.
"He talks about how miserable he is every day," Smith stated. "In the morning he'll tell me, 'mom, I hope they fix the air.'"
So, with the heat coupled with wearing a mask, conditions in the classroom for her children have gotten worse, leading to tough decisions.
