Ask Mr. Answer Person: What is the protocol for early school dismissals due to heat? Has the School Board recently changed the policy?

A reader asked a series of questions, beginning with the protocol for early school dismissal. It was a timely one today. Mr. Answer Person's informal survey of two high school students confirmed it was pretty hot!
 
decorahnews.com checked with Superintendent Mike Haluska . "For early dismissals due to heat, there is no steadfast rule.  Typically, however, if the temperatures in classrooms are in the mid-80's when the school day begins, we are on alert.  Since we need to notify drivers about two hours prior to dismissing, a decision needs to be reached by around 11:00. If we have classrooms in the upper-80's to low-90's by late morning, we'll dismiss.  Of course, if the weather has been extremely humid, the combination of humidity and temperature can necessitate dismissing at lower temperatures due to, in essence, the "heat index.

Regarding the role of the Board of Education, they have never played a role in this type of decision nor is there any existing board-established "protocol" for early dismissals.  This is strictly an administrative decision.  The  basis for the decision is no different this year than it has been in the past."

Mr. Answer Person will follow up next week with a related question about early dismissals, air conditioning, and the upcoming bond referendum.