06/09/08 Some Schools Will Have Early Dismissal Tomorrow.

Eastern, Western Middle Schools will have early dismissals Tuesday

The extreme heat and lack of air conditioning is prompting a Tuesday early dismissal at Eastern and Western middle schools, officials said.

Eastern Middle School lacks air conditioning in more than half of its building, while the cooling in one wing of Western Middle School broke down on Monday. That coupled with a National Weather Service forecast calling for the heat index to reach 103 degrees Tuesday prompted the call for early dismissal at those two schools, spokeswoman Kim Eves said.

School officials said they hesitated to make the decision earlier because the weather conditions could have changed. But by the evening, when forecasters were calling for another day of the heat wave, officials wanted to give parents advance warning, Eves said. The district ruled out canceling classes.

"We don't want to lose instructional time or days," Eves said. "It's cooler in the morning, so we can juggle locations in the school."

For more updates on all schools, parents should check the district's Web site, www.greenwichschools.org, Eves said.

Students at Eastern Middle School also were dismissed early on Monday. Air conditioning only exists in the new wing, but that space was too small to hold all the students, Eves said.

Principal Ralph Mayo also said that several students were sent to the nurse after reporting signs of dizziness and other heat-related...

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