Although school has started, it is still very much summer with temperatures hitting above 90 degrees this week and staying in the 70s overnight.

Mikaela Smith raised concerns in an email to the Times Observer after attending Meet the Teacher Night at Warren Area Elementary.

“I attended a Meet the Teacher event at Warren Area Elementary Center, in my boyfriend’s child’s classroom, and the experience was deeply disheartening. Despite the outside temperature being around 80 degrees, the classroom was unbearably hot. The teacher informed us that these conditions are typical, even on an average day. Looking around, I saw children and parents visibly uncomfortable–sweat dripping, fans in hand, trying to cope with the stifling heat.” Smith had many agreeing with her view that the heat is not conducive to a productive and healthy learning environment.

David Undercoffer, Operations Manager of buildings and grounds for the Warren County School District, addressed concerns.

“There is always one week at the beginning and one week at the end of the school year that we experience excessive heat in Warren County.. We are going to all the buildings to make sure all of the control systems are functioning optimally. Each classroom has air handler units that circulate air when the rooms are occupied. With the meet-the-teacher night being late in the day, the heat had built, and the excess of people also raised the temperatures in the rooms.”

Temperatures are expected to cool over the weekend, which should lead to better temperatures in classrooms next week.