Early Football Practices, Canceled Classes: East Bay Schools Adapt To Heat Wave
BRENTWOOD (KPIX 5) – With highs expected to approach 110 degrees due to the heat wave, football players at Liberty High in Brentwood staged their practice before sunrise on Thursday.
The Lions, who are the defending Division 1A state champions, were on the field for practice at 6 a.m., more than two hours before the start of the school day and half an hour before the sun came up.
"It's going to be 110 or something today. So we just thought we would beat the heat," said coach Ryan Partridge. "We did it yesterday too and it worked out well."
Liberty is holding a scrimmage Friday night.
Meanwhile in nearby Pittsburg, Highlands Elementary was forced to postpone the start of the school year as work continues to replace the school's air conditioning system.
"The contractor tried temporary air conditioning units for the impacted classrooms. A team and I went last night to test them and they are simply not adequate for our students or staff, especially given the high temperatures we are expecting this week," Pittsburg Unified superintendent Jante Schulze said in a statement.
Schulze said they hope to start school on Monday, but a firm date has not been finalized.
Inland areas, including those in Eastern Contra Costa County, remain under a heat advisory until 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.