Denver added air-con to 11 extra colleges, leaving 43 with out

As Denver Public Faculties college students head again to class amid anticipated outside temperatures within the 80s and 90s, 11 extra colleges could have air-con. 

For years, DPS has been chipping away at a protracted record of faculties with out cooling. The cash so as to add air-con to the 11 colleges this summer season got here from a bond problem handed by Denver voters in 2020. The bond cash may also pay for 13 extra colleges to get air-con over the following yr. That may go away 31 DPS colleges with out cooling, in keeping with the district.

Denver incessantly sees temperatures within the 90s in August and even September. Final yr, greater than 30 DPS colleges known as “warmth days” throughout a streak of sizzling climate in September. The faculties both canceled lessons altogether or launched college students early.

The district has taken different steps to attempt to stop college students from turning into overheated, torpid, and even sick at school as a result of excessive temperatures. In 2021, the varsity board voted to push again the primary day of faculty by per week — a schedule DPS maintains right now. Most DPS colleges begin Monday, although some colleges that set their very own calendars began earlier.

The 11 colleges that acquired air-con this summer season are:

Fairview Elementary Faculty (Fairview closed this previous spring for low enrollment however will host the district’s Subsequent Steps program for college kids with emotional disabilities this faculty yr.)

Ashley Elementary Faculty

Pressure Elementary Faculty

Hallett Academy

Smith Elementary Faculty

Valverde Elementary Faculty

Grant Beacon Center Faculty

Merrill Center Faculty

Denver Montessori Junior/Senior Excessive Faculty and Denver On-line Excessive Faculty

Handbook Excessive Faculty

West Excessive Faculty

The 13 colleges which can be anticipated to have air-con by subsequent yr are:

Carson Elementary Faculty

Columbine Elementary Faculty

Cowell Elementary Faculty

Denison Montessori Faculty

Knapp Elementary Faculty

Polaris Elementary Faculty

Sabin World Elementary Faculty

Stedman Elementary Faculty

Steele Elementary Faculty

Denver Inexperienced Faculty Southeast

McAuliffe Worldwide Faculty

KIPP Denver Collegiate Excessive Faculty

Thomas Jefferson Excessive Faculty

Thirty-one Denver colleges nonetheless don’t have air-con — and the district has not put aside cash so as to add it. DPS has ranked the faculties when it comes to precedence. 

That precedence is decided by a mixture of things, together with which colleges have the most well liked lecture rooms and which colleges have the very best percentages of scholars from low-income households and college students who qualify for particular training providers.

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, masking Denver Public Faculties. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.