Minimum Days Announced For Six Santa Barbara Unified Schools Amid Heat Wave

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — Santa Barbara Unified School District is shifting six schools to minimum-day schedules Thursday as the region continues to experience extreme heat.

Harding, McKinley, Santa Barbara High School, Santa Barbara Junior High, Franklin and Cleveland will operate on minimum-day schedules due to the forecasted heat.

The district says parents can pick up their children early, but early pickup is not required.

Students who remain on campus through the regular school day will be supervised by staff and moved into cooler, air-conditioned classrooms when possible.

The district says schools are also restricting outdoor physical activities, increasing hydration breaks and making use of shaded or air-conditioned spaces.

A-OK after-school programs to continue

The district says A-OK after-school programming will continue at elementary school sites Thursday.

Staff will adjust classroom locations to maximize the use of cooler, air-conditioned spaces throughout the afternoon.

Santa Barbara High School athletics will also make adjustments based on the heat. Coaches will notify teams about changes to practices and contests.

School principals are contacting families directly with specific dismissal times and logistics.

District officials are encouraging families with questions to contact their school's main office.

The operational changes come as Santa Barbara County continues to experience a significant heat wave, with health officials urging residents to stay hydrated, limit strenuous outdoor activity and seek air-conditioned or cooler spaces during the hottest parts of the day.

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