SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — As students gear up for the start of a new school year, administrators are urging parents to take precautions to keep their children safe amidst a historic heat wave. Springfield Public Schools (SPS) district is taking steps to ensure the well-being of its students as temperatures continue to soar.

According to Lee Ann Neill, the SPS Director of Health Services, the district is implementing various measures to mitigate the effects of the extreme heat. These include moving athletic practices to cooler times of the day and relocating the Cox Hospital mobile medical units to air-conditioned spaces.

“We had clinics that were set up to be at one of our school sites and they were going to be a board, our mobile medical units that Cox Health provides for our students and families,” Neill explained. “And with the excessive heat warning, we have moved those Coxes generously provided an air-conditioned indoor space at the Cox North campus.”

Furthermore, school administrators are urging parents to keep their children hydrated and dressed comfortably. Indoor recesses will also be implemented during this time to ensure that students are safe from the elements.

As the new academic year approaches, the safety and well-being of students remain a top priority for SPS . By taking these steps, they hope to ensure that students can enjoy a successful and safe start to the school year.