How hot is too hot for students and teachers to function in school?
That question erupted on social media in New Westminster this week as the ongoing stretch of hot weather saw temperatures rise in schools — particularly in School District 40’s two newest schools, where the buildings feature large amounts of glass and concrete.
A Reddit thread about the issue included a photo of an HVAC control panel, with the person sharing the post saying they had visited NWSS and found it at 28 C.
“It’s 28 C throughout the school, yet no AC. How can a new school designed with huge windows and lots of concrete have no AC? Students look exhausted and tired,” the poster wrote.
That thread, and a discussion based on the same post in a New Westminster Facebook group (New Westies are the Besties) attracted much criticism about the lack of air conditioning in schools.
Some commenters pointed out that schools are also workplaces, for teachers and other staff, and questioned whether people should be expected to work in environments that are that hot.
WorkSafeBC recommends indoor 'comfort range' of 23 to 26 C
As the Government of B.C. website notes, WorkSafeBC doesn’t specify a particular temperature for workplaces, but it refers to a “comfort range” created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. That guidelines suggests, when practicable, that an office should be kept between 23 and 26 C in summertime.
The Government of Canada’s Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety suggests an optimum office temperature of 24.5 C in summer, with an acceptable range of 23 to 26 C.
With some school classrooms in New West exceeding those numbers, School District 40 sent a letter to families on Thursday afternoon addressing the concerns.
“The fact is, some of our district’s schools and learning spaces are well-equipped to manage higher temperature days, and others are not as well equipped to do so,” said the letter.
It noted the heat had been “particularly frustrating” at both NWSS (which opened in 2021) and Skwo:wech Elementary School (which opened in 2022).
Provincial school funding didn't include cooling systems: SD40
“The reality we’ve had to face at those two schools is that the approved scope of work and funding that was provided by government did not include cooling systems,” the SD40 letter said. “However, given the rapid climate changes we’ve all experienced over the last couple years, we’re optimistic that cooling systems and possible retrofits may be considered and funded by our government partners, where required, as we continue our ongoing conversations with them.”
The letter notes that the district’s facilities team has worked with outside consultants and system experts to ensure that the systems are being optimized to provide the best possible airflow and cooling techniques possible.
Along with that, the district noted it’s taken other steps to keep classrooms as cool as possible:
- using existing airflow systems to purge hot air out of buildings overnight;
- monitoring internal and external temperatures on hotter days to adjust airflow as needed;
- setting up fans in classrooms that need them;
- having staff take actions such as closing blinds, reducing use of overhead lights and electronics and providing staff with tips on how and when to maximize airflow; and
- having principals and vice-principals identify the most affected classrooms and moving lessons into other areas — such as shady outdoor spaces, gyms and libraries — when needed.
The school district will also be looking at its procedures for extreme weather to see if it needs to add provisions for heat-related events.
“We will all need to prepare for the fact that, in the future, we may need to make either site-specific or district-wide decisions to close schools in the cases of extreme heat, as we saw done for the heat dome two years ago,” the letter said.
Tips to help your children deal with heat at school
In the meantime, parents and caregivers are asked to take steps to help their children deal with the heat:
- Send students to school in appropriate attire for sun: breathable clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.
- Ensure children have water bottles and are consuming hydrating options for lunch and snacks.
- Send personal cooling items (ice packs, handheld fans, etc.) if your child is affected by heat.
SD40 also notes that, on the hottest days, families can make their own decision on whether to keep children home to keep them cool; those absences should be reported to the school.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca
