NORWAY – Elementary school buildings in the Oxford Hills School District that have no air conditioning were sweating it out as the fourth day of a heat wave continued.

“We can’t stress over things we can’t control so we deal with them,” said Rowe Elementary School Principal George “Beaux” Sincerbeaux, who surprised his students by buying them Popsicles at the end of the school day.

On Wednesday, Hannaford supermarket in Oxford sent Popsicles to cool the students.

“We have lots of fans going,” Sincerbeaux said. Because there was a slight breeze Thursday and it was a little cooler in some outside spots, students were allowed to play outside during recess if they wanted to.

At the Oxford Elementary School, Principal Kim Ramharter said they were making accommodations where possible. Because the classrooms do not have air conditioning but the library does, some children were working in the library. Others, who had reading assignments, were allowed to sit in the front lobby where it was cooler. Everyone was drinking lots of fluids, sitting under shade trees at recess or doing whatever they could to cool down, she said.

The Waterford Elementary School was doing much the same Thursday, turning lights off and keeping blinds down.

“It’s pretty comfortable,” Principal Margaret Emery said. The first grade classroom has an air conditioner in it and downstairs in the building was very cool, she said.

At the Agnes Gray School in West Paris, one of the oldest in the district, rooms were also hot.

“It’s a hot start,” said Agnes Gray School head custodian Eric Liimatta. Fans have been brought to the classrooms, lights have been turned off and children have been using the air-conditioned computer lab and the cooler rooms in the basement where they normally have art and lunch.

The good news is that the school just received a new boiler for the winter heating season so the school should have good heat when it’s necessary,  Liimatta said.

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