With hot and humid conditions expected for our area most of the week (Monday, June 23 to Thursday, June 26, 2025), the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) wanted to share the steps its schools will take to help your child stay comfortable. 

Both Southwestern Public Health and the Middlesex-London Public Health Unit have issued heat alerts for the coming week.

While some TVDSB schools have full or partial air conditioning (AC), students and staff at facilities without AC may experience uncomfortable conditions because of the heat.

Staff at your child’s school will take the following steps to keep learning and activity spaces cool:

• Keep windows and curtains closed to keep out hot air
• Use fans in the classroom 
• Turn off lights and all non-essential electrical equipment to avoid excess heat
• Move outdoor physical activity inside
• Minimize time outside, particularly during the hottest part of the day (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
• Rotate staff and students into cooler areas of the school – for example, basement areas – to provide a break from high temperatures. 

To help them stay comfortable, here are a few steps you can take to help:

• Send them with plenty of water to drink
• Dress them in loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing
• Give them a small spray bottle with water, which they can use to mist themselves if they get overheated.  Before they use a spray bottle in class, your child should ask their teacher if it’s OK to do so.

Closing schools during a heat warning is not something TVDSB or other school boards typically do when high temperatures are forecast. This would be a challenging situation for families, who may struggle to find last-minute child care for their children.

For more information about health risks associated with extreme heat, and how to protect yourself and others, please visit https://www.healthunit.com/extreme-heat

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Thames Valley District School Board