HEAT FORCES CAPE SCHOOLS TO LET OUT EARLY ON FIRST DAY

If parents wondered why Cape Girardeau public schools dismissed early Monday, they should have been on the third floor of L.J. Schultz School.

At 11:15 a.m. Monday, the heat index approached 107 degrees in classrooms on the third floor. Students and teachers were wilted.

Schultz and the junior- and senior-high schools dismissed at 11:20 a.m.; elementary schools closed at noon.

A decision about today's schedule will be made around 10 a.m. Early dismissals will be announced over the radio.

Today's forecast calls for another scorcher.

At Schultz on Monday, Brandi Compas and her new backpack were dragging. The first morning of school the brand-new seventh-grader had sat through two classes on the third floor: advanced reading and social studies.

"It was hot, but not too bad earlier this morning," she said. "I'd probably die if I had to be here this afternoon."

Allison Bryant said, "I think it's real hot, and I haven't even had gym or anything."

Mikkaela McCullough agreed: "If it's this hot already, just think what it will be like this afternoon."

Shaun Williams said dismissing early on the first day of school had a downside: Students didn't have a chance to meet all their teachers.

Social studies teacher Jo Peukert displays a thermometer in her third-floor classroom. Next to it is a heat index chart. The temperature was 92 degrees with humidity topping 50 percent. The chart showed the temperature felt like 100 to 107 degrees.

"The students are showing the effects of the heat," said Pat Heckert, who also teaches on the third floor.

Myrnita Granthan said she knew it would be hot when she arrived at school around 7 a.m.

The temperature was noticeably higher inside the building than outside.

Afternoon kindergarten and early childhood programs were in session Monday afternoon. Those classes met in air-conditioned rooms.