CHANDLER, Ariz. — As the Valley hit the hottest day of the year, thousands of students went back to school on Wednesday.
Students at Chandler Unified School District, the second-largest in the state, braved the record-breaking temperatures on their official day back in the classrooms.
“It’s hot being out here,” said Alexa Paredes, a senior at Hamilton High School. “It’s really bad. I wish I could have done online [classes], stay home with the AC.”
To keep students safe, the district told 12News they follow the Arizona Department of Health Services Heat Index Guidelines, which recommends indoor activity only when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other districts told 12News they also follow the guidelines that limit recess and recommend 20 gulps of liquids every 20 minutes.
None of the districts changed their bus policy to include students who can’t ride the bus but live in a one-mile radius and must walk home.
“It’s been tough. I’m glad my air conditioning is being replaced,” said Nicki Pousson who will pick up her granddaughter a couple times a week.
“It’s too far for her to walk in this type of heat,” Pousson said. “I’m worried about her just crossing the street from the high school to here.”
While Arizona is known for being hot, especially in July, other parents like Sonia Perala said the heat did not faze them.
“We’re used to the heat,” Perala told 12News as she waited for her daughter and three of her friends while sitting in her car with no AC on and her windows down. “I would be concerned for other kids that have to walk.”
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health has confirmed 18 people have died because of the heat, and 69 deaths are under investigation.
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