Early Dismissal: 100 Philly Schools Closing Early Due to Heat

One hundred schools in the Philadelphia School District will close early Tuesday and Wednesday because of forecasted high temperatures, officials announced Monday.

The schools do not have sufficient cooling systems and will close three hours early, the district said on the first day of the academic year. After-school and sports activities at those schools will also be cancelled.

"We realize that early dismissals, especially those made the day before, can present challenges for many families" the School District of Philadelphia said. "Please know that these decisions, which we do not make lightly, are always made with the safety of our students and staff as our top priority."

The rest of the district’s schools and administrative offices will remain open on a normal schedule.

The news comes on the district's first day back for students and staff as high temperatures in Philadelphia hit the low-90s.

The school district listed each of the 100 schools in need of air conditioning and/or electrical system upgrades on their website Monday evening. They are listed below.

AMY @ James Martin MS	Franklin Learning Center HS	Mifflin, Thomas ES
AMY Northwest MS	Furness, Horace HS	Mitchell ES
Arthur, Chester A. ES	Gideon, Edward ES	Moore, J. Hampton ES
Bache-Martin ES	Girard Academic Music Program HS	Morris, Robert ES
Barton, Clara ES	Girard, Stephen ES	Morrison, Andrew J. ES
Blaine, James G. ES	Girls HS	Nebinger, George W. ES
Blankenburg, Rudolph ES	Greenberg, Joseph ES call	Overbrook ES
Brown, Henry A. ES	Harding, Warren G. MS	Parkway West HS
Bryant, William C. ES	Harrington, Avery D. ES	Patterson, John M. ES
Building 21 HS	Henry, Charles W. ES	Penn Treaty HS
Casarez, Gloria ES	Hill-Freedman World Academy MS	Pennell, Joseph ES
Castor Gardens MS	Holme, Thomas ES	Pennypacker, Samuel ES
Catharine, Joseph W. ES	Hopkinson, Francis ES	Rhawnhurst ES
Central HS	Houston, Henry H. ES	Roosevelt, Theodore ES
Comegys, Benjamin B. ES	Howe, Julia W. ES	Rowen, William ES
Comly, Watson ES	Jenks, Abram ES	Roxborough HS
Cooke, Jay ES	Jenks Academy for Arts & Sciences ES	Sayre, William HS
Coppin, Fanny Jackson ES	Kenderton ES	Sharswood, George ES
Crossan, Kennedy C. ES	Key, Francis Scott ES	Shawmont ES
Day, Anna B. ES	Kirkbride, Eliza B. ES	Sheppard, Issac A. ES
Disston, Hamilton ES	Lamberton, Robert E. ES	Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber HS
Dobson, James ES	Lea, Henry C. ES	South Philadelphia HS
Dunbar, Paul L. ES	Lingelbach, Anna L . ES	Spring Garden ES
Edmonds, Franklin S. ES	Loesche, William H. ES	Spruance, Gilbert ES
Ellwood ES	Logan, James ES	Sullivan, James J. ES
Emlen, Eleanor C. ES	Lowell, James R. ES	Taggart, John H. ES
Fell, D. Newlin ES	Ludlow, James R. ES	Tilden, William MS
Feltonville Arts and Sciences	Marshall, John ES	The U School HS
Finletter School	Marshall, Thurgood	Wagner, Gen. Louis MS
Fitler Academic Plus ES	McCloskey, John F. ES	Waring, Laura W. ES
Fitzpatrick, A.L. ES	McClure, Alexander K. ES	Washington, George HS
Fox Chase ES	McMichael, Morton ES	Washington, Martha ES
Franklin, Benjamin ES	Meredith, William M. ES	Ziegler, William H. ES
Franklin, Benjamin HS

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers told NBC10 they suggest the district move the start of the school year to a date after the Labor Day holiday, and also revamp the old buildings.

“The union has been pushing for years for the school buildings to be wired so that all buildings can have air conditioning for students," union president Jerry Jordan said.

The district advised parents contact their child's school for further information on the early dismissal.