Students make the most of hot weather during Bloomington's "Unity Day"

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Despite temps pushing 90 degrees, students and staff at Valley View Elementary School made the most of the school's "Unity Day" Wednesday.

Featuring outdoor and indoor activities, a blend of physical education, and other special activities, the day was a chance to let loose before the last day of school Thursday.

"For PE teachers, this is like our Super Bowl," Valley View phy-ed teacher Ryan Freeberg said.

Yet with the heat, it's a Super Bowl in need of a game plan. The district made sure to keep extra water, sunscreen, and lighter clothes on hand.

"We're doing extra breaks," Freeberg said. "One of the rotations is rest, go back to the classroom, get some water."

Bloomington Schools' Director of Health Services, Hannah Hatch, says for younger children, it's oftentimes up to an adult to make sure they're staying cool.

"(Kids) can go from feeling normal to feeling really hot and exhausted quickly," Hatch said. "We know that students play hard, and they don't always recognize when they're getting overheated, so we try and notify staff and teachers to keep an extra eye on them."

Hatch says warning signs for kids can include heavy breathing, anxiousness, having a bright face, and dizziness.

"When it gets above that 85, it definitely happens a lot quicker," she said. "Students don't realize it. They're playing hard, they're running hard. They may not realize it's going there as fast."

The final day of the school year for Bloomington students is June 1.