Sigourney Community School District Superintendent Nathan Wood has shared a detailed explanation with families about how the district will make decisions regarding excessive heat — both for school dismissal times and after-school activities — in a letter sent to the school community this week.
Wood acknowledged that heat-related decisions can vary from person to person and that schedule changes can create challenges for families, but said his commitment is to use objective metrics and data rather than subjective judgment to ensure decisions are made as consistently as possible.
For school dismissal decisions, the district will use classroom temperatures as its primary metric. Wood said classroom temperatures at the junior-senior high were already above 80 degrees at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning — the coolest day in this week’s forecast — which led him to make the decision to dismiss early all week. “Our team will check classrooms when heat alerts are in place, and if and when temperatures are excessive, we will make these decisions to keep students safe and healthy,” Wood said.
For after-school activities, the district will use the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature — or WBGT — rather than simply the temperature shown on a weather app. Wood explained that WBGT considers temperature, humidity, sunlight, and wind to measure the actual heat stress placed on the body during exercise, and has been adopted by the Iowa high school athletic associations. Coaches and sponsors will emphasize hydration and encourage students to speak up if they are not feeling well.
The Iowa WBGT guidelines the district will follow are as follows. At or below 79.7 degrees, normal practice and equipment are permitted. Between 79.8 and 84.6 degrees, prolonged and intense activity should be limited with three rest and water breaks per hour. Between 84.7 and 87.6 degrees, practice is limited to two hours with reduced football equipment, additional rest and water breaks, and modified conditioning. Between 87.7 and 89.7 degrees, practice is limited to one hour with shorts, T-shirt, and footwear only, no conditioning, and at least 20 minutes of rest during the hour. At or above 89.8 degrees, outdoor practice must be delayed or cancelled until conditions improve.
“If we decide to shorten practice, go without pads, take extra water breaks, or cancel practice entirely because of the heat, know that these decisions aren’t arbitrary — we are simply following these guidelines,” Wood said.
Wood said the district’s goal is to keep students moving academically as the year begins and keep activities continuing at all levels while ensuring student safety comes first. He encouraged families to reach out at any time with questions. Wood can be reached at 641-622-2025 or nathan.wood@sigourneyschools.com. The WBGT reading for the area can be found at wbgt.klimoinsights.com.
