Tuesday's heat wave is forcing another disruption for some Minneapolis students facing an extended school year: 14 schools, each without full air conditioning, will move to distance learning while the city is under an excessive heat warning.
On Monday, the district announced that Bryn Mawr, Hiawatha, Kenny, Kenwood, Northrop, Lake Harriet Upper, Sheridan and Windom elementary schools; Anthony, Anwatin and Olson middle schools; Roosevelt High School; and Heritage Academy and Field Community School will be closed to the public and have an e-learning day on Tuesday.
The city's other schools will continue with in-person learning.
The school year was originally scheduled to conclude June 10 but was extended until June 24 to make up for learning time missed during the three-week teacher's strike earlier this year. As recently as last week, many parents and students were still confused about how those added days would work, and the answer seemed to vary by school.
For months, parents and teachers have expressed concern about what the longer school year would mean for buildings without air conditioning. According to district policy, the district will consider declaring an "inclement weather e-learning day" in the event of excessive heat.
Last school year ended similarly in Minneapolis: Excessive heat pushed that same list of schools into distance learning for three days during the final week of classes in June 2021.
