Students Dismissed Early From Sweltering Classrooms

It’s hard to get all of Natalie Heilman’s fourth graders to agree on anything, but they all agreed Wednesday that their classroom was hot.

“It's like being in an oven,” Mitchell Schry said of his top-floor classroom.

His teacher agreed.

“You know when you open your oven door?” Heilman said. “That's kind of what it feels like when you walk in the building. It's like you're walking into an oven.”

The Ft. Thomas School District, which includes Ruth Moyer Elementary, joined other area school districts in dismissing students early as the temperatures soar this week.

“In the morning it's not as hot, but then it keeps getting hotter and hotter,” said Andi Holt.

Heilman’s classroom registered 86 degrees at noon, and that temperature held steady into the afternoon.

“The sweat drips down to your eyes, then you're distracted,” Schry said.

After the students left Thursday, parts of the classroom were more than 95 degrees.

Although the early dismissal makes students more comfortable, parents and other caregivers are faced with a challenge.

"I left work early to come pick up my daughter at school, so I'll be making up the time sometime tomorrow,” said parent Melony Trapp.