Not everyone is too cool for school - some Michigan schools don't have A/C

Welcome back to school Southwest Michigan! Many students in Berrien, Cass, and St Joseph Counties will be returning to the classroom after the summer break - but some may find it difficult to stay cool for school.

While some Michigan schools have installed some form of air conditioning, others have not. With hot temperatures and high humidity on the way today, some students and teachers may have trouble being comfortable during the first day back to learning. Here’s a list of some of the schools that have have A/C that will be returning to the classroom today:

• Dowagiac Union Schools
• Niles Community Schools
• Bridgman Schools
• Buchanan Schools (except Buchanan High School)

Watervliet Public Schools have some air conditioned areas - such as computer labs - but most areas in the district go without it. They are planning to add A/C to their elementary schools later this year to be ready to go for the 2023-2024 school year.

As your kids are headed off to school today, make sure they know to be drinking plenty of fluids and to take frequent breaks during gym class or sports practices.

Also be aware that rain showers and thunderstorms are on the way for today with the potential for some of these storms to be strong or even severe. With that in mind, it’s important to make sure your kids know how to stay safe when storms hit, especially if they get home from school before you get home or have outdoor after-school activities.

Remember - when thunder roars, go indoors.

If your kids have any after-school outdoor practices, make sure they know that storms are on the way and what to do if storms arrive while they’re outside.

If they hear thunder, they should get to an enclosed shelter immediately such as a nearby building or a car. Baseball dugouts, picnic pavilions, and bleachers don’t count as enclosed shelters and can be dangerous places to be during strong storms.

In the event of severe weather, make sure your kids know safe spots in your home to go if they need to take shelter. Although their school will have designated areas for students to take shelter from severe storms, it’s always important that your family knows what to do if severe storms hit while at home.

If you don’t already have a severe weather plan at home, be sure to make one and make sure your kids know it well - it will become very important for days when severe weather hits.