How Winnipeg schools are dealing with the heat
As Winnipeg continues to deal with extreme heat and humidity, a number of school divisions around the city are taking steps to keep staff and students safe.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, a hot and humid air mass is causing daytime highs in the low 30s, and overnight lows in the upper teens and low 20s. On top of this, humidity is pushing the humidex values into the upper 30s.
CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to school divisions in Winnipeg to find out how they're dealing with heat warnings and keeping students and staff cool.
WINNIPEG SCHOOL DIVISION
To deal with these temperatures, the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) said its advice to schools and families is to follow the Workplace Health and Safety guidelines. This includes wearing loose clothes and drinking lots of water.
Staff are monitoring for signs of heat stress and ensuring that everyone is taking precautions, including using fans, moving classes to cooler parts of the schools, and making sure people take breaks. Certain activities, including physical education, may be rescheduled to take place earlier in the day.
The WSD said fans are provided throughout the schools, but teachers can bring CSA-approved fans as well. The division’s building department is also starting the daily air exchange earlier in the morning.
The WSD has 42 facilities with full air conditioning, 27 without air conditioning, and 16 that are partially air-conditioned.
ST. JAMES-ASSINIBOIA SCHOOL DIVISION
In a statement, Mari Aguirre, manager of facilities and future development for the St. James-Assiniboia School Division (SJASD), said air conditioning is a priority.
All schools in the division have air conditioning; however, the air conditioning units are being repaired and replaced at a few schools.
Staff at the schools with partial or inoperative air conditioning are taking a number of steps to deal with the heat including closing blinds and windows; limiting intensive physical activity; ensuring everyone has access to water; and watching for signs and symptoms of heat stress. Maintenance crews are also working to bring in cool air from the ventilation system at night.
School administrators and staff are monitoring children closely. Caregivers with any concerns about their child’s response to heat can take them home in consultation with school administrators.
RIVER EAST TRANSCONA SCHOOL DIVISION
Sandra Herbst, superintendent and CEO of the River East Transcona School Division (RETSD), said school staff are working to mitigate the impact of the heat.
Herbst added that principals meet with staff to discuss ways to deal with temperatures, which could include:
- Rotating classes through spaces that are air-conditioned or cooler;
- Using shady spaces when engaging in outdoor learning;
- Ensuring students stay hydrated;
- Bringing in portable fans;
- Running fans overnight;
- Monitoring students for heat stress;
- Choosing learning activities that are appropriate for the weather;
- Getting students to run cool water over their wrists;
- Reminding students to tell an adult if they are feeling unwell.
Herbst noted that parents and caregivers rely on schools to stay open, but some people may choose to keep their kids at home due to the heat.
PEMBINA TRAILS SCHOOL DIVISION
The Pembina Trails School Division said it’s following Workplace Health and Safety Guidelines and reminding students and staff to drink lots of water and wear loose, lightweight clothing.
Staff members are on alert and monitoring for signs of heat stress. They are also reminding students to take hydration breaks and to bring water bottles to school. Some school activities may be adjusted due to the weather.
The division noted that the monitoring and repair of the HVAC infrastructure in its buildings are ongoing. The facilities and operations department is doing all it can to keep things running.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.