Southwest Local Schools Students Will Get Out Early Due To Heat Wednesday

Temperatures Wednesday are expected to get into the 90s.

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(Harrison, Oh.) – Oppressive heat is going to force some Southwest Local School District schools to dismiss early Wednesday.

Temperatures Wednesday will reach well into the 90s, making it tough to be comfortable inside schools without air conditioning.

The two-hour early dismissal at Southwest Local Schools will only be for kindergarteners through 8th graders, with no PM kindergarten, pre-school, or Head Start. The early dismissal also affects St. John’s Catholic School in Harrison.

William Henry Harrison High School, Harrison Junior School, and Diamond Oaks students will be on a normal schedule Wednesday. All junior school and high school athletic activities will continue as normal.

“The weather is supposed to break Thursday and temps return back to normal for the foreseeable future. We will deal with weather early-dismissals on a day to day basis. Weather is something we do not control and making this decision (like calling snow days) is never easy. Thank you in advance for your support of our schools!” read a statement on the school district website.

Southwest Local Schools are among many in Ohio to change their scheduled this week because of hot weather.

In response, an Ohio lawmaker has asked the state for the cost of adding air conditioning to all schools without it as a late summer heat wave has forced numerous schools to close or schedule early dismissals. State Rep. Niraj Antani in Tuesday's letter to the state schools superintendent that the closures are creating a hostile environment for teaching and learning.