Two days before the first full day of the 2025–26 school year, parents in Poudre School District (PSD) received unexpected news: most schools would dismiss students two hours early during the first and second days of classes because of dangerously high August temperatures. By the end of the second day, the schedule was extended into the next week as the heat wave continued. For families, the announcement meant adjusting routines. For students and staff, it meant avoiding sweltering classrooms where air conditioning is scarce. For members of the Poudre Education Association’s (PEA) Heat Committee, it signaled that their advocacy was finally paying off. For years, classrooms without air conditioning reached the high 90s and even over 100 degrees. Over the past two school years, the Heat Committee has pushed PSD to implement protocols to protect students and staff from extreme heat.
Ahead of the 2023–24 school year, middle school math teacher and committee leader Sara Vaughan began compiling data using records from other districts and heat index charts, which showed how outdoor temperatures and humidity created unsafe indoor environments. The research also uncovered the “heat island effect,” where urban areas trap more heat, as well as structural designs from the 1970s and 80s that intensify warming. Chris Fiero, a high school science teacher explained, “With many older school buildings lacking a/c and designed to trap heat, teachers are facing increasingly untenable working conditions.”
During the 2023–24 school year, educators documented thermometer readings, often with photos. “We had teachers sending us pictures of classroom thermometers hitting 100 degrees,” Sara explained. “That made it impossible for the district to say this was just anecdotal.” Teachers described disrupted learning, health risks and behavioral challenges. 
“Nobody’s healthy in extreme heat,” remarked fourth-grade teacher Kim Carlson. “Our youngest students couldn’t regulate their body temperature or their emotions. For kids in our autism program or ILS classrooms, it was unbearable.” Hannah Ball, a fifth-grade teacher, remembered a student who was hospitalized multiple times because of classroom temperatures at Laurel Elementary. “When students are overheated and uncomfortable, they struggle to regulate, leading to more behavioral issues and less learning, through no fault of their own,” she said.
District fixes had been temporary. Box fans were noisy and ineffective. Swamp coolers, purchased with mill levy funds, created new problems: they were loud, required teachers to refill them during the day and often raised humidity. “Everything was wet,” Kim said. “The kids still wanted it turned on because it was better than nothing, but it’s not a long-term solution.”
Amanda Baldwin, also a fourth-grade teacher, reported classroom temperatures of 75–78°F with humidity levels at 61 percent. “You have to fill it twice a day if you run it constantly. It’s loud. And in some spaces, like gyms, you can’t use it at all because it damages the floor,” she added. To keep pressure on, PEA members wore red shirts, distributed buttons and packed meetings with visible reminders of their campaign. “We wore the buttons, we wore our red shirts to every meeting. We passed these buttons out to staff at the beginning of the year, asking them to wear them to professional development events. We asked everyone to wear them until we had some action,” Amanda explained. By February, Sara and Kim were testifying before the Colorado House and Senate. They highlighted that 32 of 44 PSD schools lacked air conditioning, helping advance a statewide heat bill through both chambers, and Gov. Jared Polis signed it into law.
The PSD board eventually adopted a protocol: early release after three consecutive 90°F days, automatic release at 95°F, and reliance on National Weather Service and CDC data. But in August and September, extreme heat days went unacknowledged because the district relied on readings from the 80521 zip code, which runs 4–5 degrees cooler than Midtown, where most schools are located.
“It was so defeating before, when classrooms were roasting but no heat day was called,” said Candice Mozer, PEA President. The committee’s persistence is creating long-term change. District facilities leaders are now tracking schools without air conditioning and evaluating upgrades. “They ask us to follow things with fidelity,” said Candice. “Well, they need to follow these protocols with fidelity too. It creates more chaos to be wishy-washy. Parents won’t know what to expect, and families need clear communication.” 
While the work isn’t finished, members say they have already transformed the conversation. “Meeting with board members and the superintendent showed me that our union can win real change. I feel proud bringing that back to my school,” Amanda shared. “This all started with buttons and red shirts,” Sara added. “Now we have protocols, early release days, and a real plan for air conditioning. That’s the power of collective action.” The PEA Heat Committee has shifted district policy and proven what educators can achieve together. Their fight continues, not just for cooler classrooms, but for safer, more equitable learning environments for every PSD student.
*Originally posted in the Fall 2025 CEAjournal issue.