Teachers, students beating the heat
City and county physical education teachers are looking for fun activities that will allow students to stay out of the sweltering heat. Belgreen sixth grade students Jordan Fisher, Patrick Sykes and Blake Skid more played basketball inside the school’s old gym Tuesday. | Nathan Strickland/FCT
Scattered showers have dampened the heat in some areas in Franklin County, but with heat advisories and triple digit numbers showing up on outside thermometers, Physical Education instructors with city and county schools are performing activities indoors.
Russellville Elementary P.E. instructor Tim Townley said this is his 24th year of teaching physical education at RES and he can’t remember many years where it has been this hot.
“Usually we stay indoors for the first three or four days anyways covering rules, psrocedures and introductions for activities we will do throughout the year,” he said. “Hopefully by the end of August things will start to cool down so that we will be able to get outside some, but for right now it is just too hot.”
Townley said the way classes are structured helps keep the students hydrated, with built in water breaks, but added that students are encouraged to get drinks of water anytime they feel it is needed.
“Our students can go get a drink anytime they want,” he said. “Some students at this age tend to play hard and forget about staying hydrated. The built-in breaks during the class help make sure those children stay hydrated. We don’t really do any strenuous activities with children at this age for them to be affected by the heat.”
On some school campuses, being inside a gymnasium may be hotter than actually being outdoors.
Belgreen P.E. instructor Susan Crittenden wedged the doors open at Belgreen’s old gymnasium on Tuesday to get some more air circulation inside.
“It’s awful,” she said. “I don’t know what we are going to do because it is just so hot indoors and outside. My elementary students will be alright because I can hold their classes in an air conditioned room inside the school, but for my sixth grade class, they need more room to run and play so we are out here in the gym. I hope this heat wave goes away soon.”
There are 31 children in Crittenden’s sixth grade P.E. class and almost every one of them voiced their opinion about the heat.
Belgreen student Braden Mitchell, 11, said it is hotter in the gym than when he was outside doing his favorite hobby this summer.
“I drive a dirt track car and I don’t sweat while doing that as much as I am sweating in here,” he said. “It is hotter than I have ever seen it.”
Sixth graders Abby Jones, 11, and Morgan Welch, 11, said it felt like “200 degrees” while they were in gym class going over policy and procedures for the school year.
“I’d rather be sitting inside a classroom than to come to P.E.,” Welch said.
Kaydee Holland, Blaise Murray and Anna Woods get a sip of water during P.E. time at Russellville Elementary School Tuesday. Teachers are trying to find activities that will allow students to stay cool and hydrated. | Nathan Strickland/FCT
Belgreen students Mason Wallace, 12, and Patrick Sykes, 11, said they love to play basketball, but the heat has given them pause.
“I’d rather be on the couch watching T.V. in the air conditioning then be in here,” Sykes said.
Crittenden said her classes would be getting 15-minute water breaks during her classes so that everyone stays hydrated and cooled off.
“I also plan to cut my classes short so they can change back into their school clothes, get a drink of water and cool off before they head back to their other classes.”
County and city school officials said they plan on taking every precaution necessary to protect the welfare of their students while under the heat advisory.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory in Franklin County that remains in effect until 8 p.m. tonight.
