SANTEE (KGTV)- Santee is seeing some of the hottest temperatures in San Diego County this week, and local schools are taking steps to make sure students can keep learning while staying safe.
At Cajon Park Elementary School, the extreme heat meant a significant change to the school day. Students were kept indoors entirely, with no outdoor time permitted.
"On a day like today, we're not outside at all because it's just too hot," Principal Andrew Johnston said.
Johnston said the district has a tiered heat response plan ready for days like this one.
"In this particular case, this will be a level 4 where we won't have kids exercising or playing outside, and believe me, they love to be outside playing, so that's hard, but it's just too important to keep them cool," Johnston said.
On a typical day, outdoor benches fill with students eating lunch. Because of the extreme heat, students took their lunches inside air-conditioned classrooms instead.
Teachers also found ways to keep kids moving without going outside.
"Our teachers are very good at doing some indoor classroom-type movement activities. Some things on the web have some activities for them to be near their desk, but moving or dancing, doing some of those movement breaks during the day," Johnston said.
Johnston said all classrooms at the school are equipped with air conditioning. Staff also monitor students closely to make sure they have access to water and can recognize when the heat is affecting them.
"We keep a close eye on students, particularly those who may have some health issues that make them less tolerant to heat, so it's about being attentive, safe, and still trying to have a good learning day," Johnston said.
School officials are also urging families to talk with their children about staying hydrated during extreme heat and to watch for signs that the heat may be affecting them.
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