HB329

I am a kindergarten teacher at Penacook Elementary School. In August and September, and in May and June, the thermostat in my classroom displays temperatures above 80 degrees, sometimes as high as 87 degrees. I take pictures of the thermostat. I keep the lights off, the door shut, and the blinds closed. I teach in the dark with sweat dripping down my legs. It is very difficult to teach and for five year olds to learn under these conditions.

As a veteran teacher, I know that we routinely lose 5-7 teaching days per year because of extreme temperatures in the classroom. Teachers and students are subjected to unhealthy conditions for extended periods of time. I buy ice on my way to work to fill the children's water bottles to help bring their temperatures down. We evacuate to the cafeteria or the SAU building for the day: you can imagine how unproductive that time is. It's time to treat teachers and children at least as well as the pets we leave in the car on a summer day.

I support this bill to maintain air quality and control classroom temperature for our schools. I was a former school employee for 39 years and retired last year. It seems that this has been an issue since I started working there in 1985. There have been times that mildew seems to seep throughout some areas without any valid explanation and yet it can cause respiratory issues and headaches for many. Upgrades have been done and new boiler systems installed but the fact that some classrooms are 62 degrees in the winter and 89 degrees in late spring/early fall still remains. These environments impact student’s and staff’s ability to focus, be productive and engage in meaningful learning activities. Today’s sun energy seems much hotter beating in the windows especially on the second floor. Air conditioning has not been an option unless there’s a medical note dictating that need. Often times SAU administration buildings are fully air conditioned but not allowed for the schools. Instead we are given two to three fan to run, blowing around hot air and creating such noise that it becomes difficult to give instructions or read allowed or ask and answer questions so everyone can hear. Too many people suffer from dehydration, headaches, fatigue and general discomfort during the warmer months and are forced to wear coats in some classrooms during the winter. One would think in this day and age of technology and improved equipment this issue would get resolved once and for all.

Extreme temperature days are on the rise and becoming more frequent at the beginnings and end of each school year. Summer school is nearly unbearable. It is time for school boards to develop air quality policies and plans to minimize or eliminate poor indoor air quality and temperature conditions. Schools need to implement the U.S. EPA Tools for Schools program to help provide and maintain good indoor air quality in public school buildings.

I support this bill. As we experience more extreme weather, I think it is important for schools have a plan in place to deal with hot weather. Comfortable room temperatures in the classroom will promote learning by students.

As an educator for over 35 years, I've directly experienced the problem of teaching during extreme heat at both the beginning and end of the school year. Students have difficulty focusing and are often close to sleeping. On one occasion, I myself had to stop teaching as I was about to faint. I actually had to sit down for several minutes before I could return to the lesson. There have been many proposals to consider extending the academic calendar. I believe it's crucial that the Legislature address the issues of air quality and temperature to allow for improved instruction and humane conditions.

Blockchain is a highly innovative and important technology. However, NH already has some of the highest energy costs in the country and blockchain companies are heavily energy intensive. I am concerned that this bill could further increase already unaffordable energy prices.

Former public school educator. Classes with no AC can get 85+ degrees in May and June. That is not a proper teaching or learning environment.

Air quality has been an issue at my school (Chesterfield School, Chesterfield, NH) for the entire time I have worked here, It was mitigated some during COVID with a union push and is better now, but all schools should have good quality air for the health of staff and students to be at their best and for the good functioning of any school.

I’m a public educator in NH and can attest to the extreme temperatures in classrooms during the warmer months. At this point, I expect that every June will bring temperatures close to 100 degrees…INSIDE my classroom. This is an OSHA violation anywhere else. In these conditions, students are lethargic at best and passing out at worst. Every year, I send kids in pairs down to the nurse due to dehydration. I’ve had to call up the nurse because students are so heat sick, they collapse in the hallway.

As a former educator I understand the importance of the right environment, based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. So many children are already arriving to school each day without the first set of needs like food, sleep, and shelter being met. We should be doing everything we can to make them feel safe, comfortable and cared for so that they can access the curriculum. Poor air quality which can make them sick, temperatures being too hot or cold, or just being in an unhealthy environment does not make ideal learning OR teaching conditions. Teachers and students should be able to focus on the learning, not staying healthy and safe.

My name is Lisa Dillingham, and I am a fifth-grade teacher at Dover Middle School. I come before you today, speaking for myself, asking for your support of House Bill 329. The beginning of a new school year is always memorable for students. Whether it’s buying school supplies, having a meet and greet with the teacher, or just getting back together with friends, it’s a time of excitement, some nervousness, and even sadness. As teachers, we expect our students to have many different emotions and experiences, especially during that first week, so we prepare ourselves and plan for all the possibilities of how best to acclimate students to the new school year. Last year, however, there was one thing for which we could not plan. During our students’ first week of school, outdoor temperatures were already in the 80’s by the time school started each morning and went upwards of 95 degrees in the afternoon. The dew points (which tells us how humid it is) made it into the oppressive range every day. For many people, summer days like this mean spending the day at the beach or staying inside in the air conditioning because it’s just too hot and humid to do much of anything else. However, my students and I spent those days in my second-floor classroom. The very first day of school was quite warm, especially once I added 22 other bodies, but my fans were on (fans I purchased with my own money), the overhead lights were off, and the windows were open along with the door to my classroom. I did everything I could to help circulate the air to keep the classroom cool, but the temperatures in the classroom slowly crept up to the high 80’s by the time the bell rang. While it got quite uncomfortable toward the end of the day, it was tolerable for most, and I felt I was able to give my students a great first day. When I entered my classroom on the second day, though, I was greeted with a wall of warm, stale air, so I immediately checked the temperature. The thermostat read 85 degrees, and it was only 6:30 in the morning. Because the fans had been turned off and the doors and windows closed and locked from the day before, all that hot air had been trapped inside overnight. While I quickly opened the windows and turned on all the fans, my efforts did very little to drop the temperature by the time students arrived. The temperature in my classroom kept climbing throughout the day, getting as high as 90 degrees. I tried to keep students in their seats as much as possible just so they didn’t exert too much energy. This is the exact opposite of what I like to do during the first days of school. Normally, my students are up and active in the classroom as they participate in get-to-know-you games and engage in team building activities. Instead, I adapted my lesson plans to reduce the amount of movement, and we did smaller, quiet activities. Even with those adjustments, my students became more sluggish as the day wore on, and keeping them engaged became more difficult. By the third day, not only was it the hottest day of the week, but I had to give my students a test to get preliminary data on their math skills. Giving this test any day is challenging, but with hot and bothered fifth graders, it was painful to watch as they labored through the test. It became increasingly difficult to keep them positive or even motivated. Some students sought help from the nurse as they experienced dizziness and headaches as the day wore on. I myself went home that day feeling ill despite drinking a lot of water throughout the day. The experiences I just shared are my own, but I wasn’t alone. Throughout that first week, I was sent pictures of thermostats from other buildings in our district. In one elementary school, which is only one level, the thermostat was 85.7 degrees at 7:45 AM. In another elementary building, temperatures in classrooms ranged from 82 degrees in the basement to 90 degrees on the second floor. Our littlest students were reported to be walking around with wet paper towels on their heads and necks. After school practices were cancelled as temperatures climbed, and students were discouraged from any active play at recess. In temperatures such as these, there was no learning happening. I felt like my only job that week was to keep kids cool and occupied. This was indeed a memorable first week of school, but it’s not one that I wish to remember. And unfortunately, without adequate cooling systems put into place, this experience is guaranteed to repeat itself. Thank you, Lisa Dillingham 77 Tasker Hill Road Strafford, NH 03884

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It's important for schools to have plans in place to address extreme weather conditions for keeping school in session when air quality or severe temperatures are an issue..

Having worked in public schools for 37 years, I can attest to how difficult it is to teach and learn in overly hot conditions. Schools MUST have ways to cool rooms, especially now that we have created Global Warming which will just get worse in years to come.

As a teacher and a parent of two kids in public schools, I've seen first hand what conditions can be like in classrooms. In recent years, my third-floor classroom has hit temperatures above 87 degrees, and while I'm grateful that my district has been working toward a solution, I feel it's important for all districts to have a plan in place for when air quality and temperature conditions are poor. Our kids and education staff deserve safe working conditions.

I am a teacher in a NH public school and have 3 children in our public schools. The temperature issues we have had to endure are borderline criminal. I have passed out at school when temperatures exceeded 90 in my classroom. I've had to pick up sick children from school because of alarmingly high or low temperatures. It is unconscionable that we have conditions like this in our classrooms.

Students and teachers should have safe, comfortable workplaces. It is reasonable to pass a bill to ensure good air quality and temperature in schools.

The extreme temperatures in our school are unhealthy for students and staff. Some classrooms are as cold as 48 degrees F in the winter and 98 degrees F in the warmer months. Anyone who opposes this bill should come work on the top floor of our building for a week when it’s 98 degrees in the classrooms.

To Whom it May Concern, This is an issue that affects most schools in NH and we need to update our buildings to accommodate the change in climate. Many (including my own child) attended school on days that were 90+ degrees outside with zero access to A/C. Students cannot learn in a room that is so hot. I am also an educator and have worked in schools with and without A/C and I can tell you from personal experience that it makes a huge difference for students when they can be comfortable in class, Also, most private sector buildings require A/C for office workers and there are OSHA regulations that state certain temps are allowed in those buildings when in schools, there are none. I believe this is unfair for not only our students but also our teaching professionals who have to teach in these uncomfortable conditions every September, May and June. Air Quality matters for student and teacher health as well, and I think the pandemic taught us that. It's time to bring our buildings up to date with the times. Thank you for your time. Please

Allowing buildings to get too hot or too cold puts us all at risk. I work in a public school. Last year on a day when indoor temps exceeded 90 degrees I was first on the scene after a student passed out in the bathroom and hit her head on the sink on her way down. It was a scary scene. Just a day before this we had to put the school in a "Clear Hallways" protocol to give privacy to a student who passed out in the middle of a hallway. Within the same week a teacher was sent to the hospital via ambulance after nearly passing out while teaching. Last week I developed a fever and worked the entire day assuming I had chills due to the 55 degree temps in the building with no heat. This is NOT a learning environment. It is not safe for our children and educators, both of whom deserve better.

Having taught in NH classrooms for 30 years, I can attest that the HVAC systems in most schools are inadequate to deal with the extreme temperatures we are now experiencing. It is impossible to teach when students are wearing their coats and still shivering or when fans are blowing hot air through the classroom. Air purification systems are also either non-existent or inadequate. Those who work in office buildings would not tolerate such conditions in a classroom. I urge you to support passage of this bill.

School temperatures should be regulated to ensure a comfortable and conducive learning environment for students and teachers alike. Extreme temperatures, whether too hot or too cold, can distract students, impair concentration, and reduce overall productivity. A consistent and comfortable temperature helps to maintain focus, improve academic performance, and support the well-being of everyone in the school. Moreover, regulating temperatures can reduce the risk of health problems related to temperature extremes, such as heat exhaustion or hypothermia. By setting clear temperature guidelines, schools can create an atmosphere where students are more likely to thrive both academically and physically.

As a former educator, I can unreservedly testify to the utter futility of trying to teach in a classroom of 80 degrees or higher. It is not only a health risk for every one in the room, it is a total waste of time. Suffering headaches and nausea, teachers can't teach and students can't learn.