PORTLAND, Ore. — Students at some schools a part of Portland Public Schools, as well as other school districts, such as the David Douglas School District, got off a few hours early Friday due to the heat. Schools without air conditioning had early release, and temperatures in some classrooms were recorded in the mid 80s by some teachers Thursday.
Some parents outside Sabin Elementary expressed their frustration about the lack of air conditioning for their kids.
“It’s very disappointing at a universal level that, of course, climate change is a reality, and so, we are getting hotter summers, hotter falls... just the public buildings and infrastructure in Portland is not equipped to handle this kind of heat, but I think it’s indicative of just a broader funding crisis for our kids," said parent Sarah Bokich.
She also said she has friends who are teachers, who have been struggling with temperatures that have gotten close, and even hit triple digits at some point this week.
“One of my friends worked a 12-hour day with back-to-school night, and she had ice packs in her dress, and she was dizzy by the end of the day," Bokich said.
Out of PPS's 81 schools, only 15 have air conditioning.
Gov. Tina Kotek spoke at a press conference Friday and addressed the lack of air conditioning in some schools, explaining the state has programs that can often provide matching fund to districts that are already doing renovations.
Cooling centers also reopened Friday in Cook Plaza in Gresham and at Portland Covenant Church. They will remain open until 9 p.m. Friday, but will not be open tomorrow, due to temperatures expected to be below the heat threshold.
Rachel Pearl, deputy director for the Department of County Human Services, said this is their second time activating the cool centers, with their last time being used being back in July.
“We are encouraging families if they need to get inside and get cool to go to libraries, community centers or also utilize the splash pads that have been reopened by the city, and any other folks who need to come in and get cool can go to one of those two sites," said Pearl.
She said between the Portland Covenant Church and Cook Plaza, 151 people stopped by.
Staying hydrated, doing activities early in the morning and checking on your neighbors are all important things to do to keep everyone safe in the heat, according to Multnomah County Health Department.
“We are experiencing climate change. Of the 86 deaths that occurred in Multnomah County due to heat from 2014 to 2023, 85 of them were between 2021-2023," said Brendon Haggerty, the county's Healthy Homes and Communities manager.
As for the schools, PPS said they plan to return to their normal schedule Monday.