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By Staff Reports

As Alabama is experiencing record temperatures, the Butler County School System is preparing for the heat. Earlier today Central Office Administrators met with Principals, nurses, and athletic directors to ensure that plans are in place to keep students safe during extreme conditions. Nurses and coaches are trained to recognize signs of heat illness and are prepared in the event that it occurs. Nurses are also disseminating information about how to recognize symptoms to our physical education (PE) teachers and providing them with guidance.

While the heat index rises, PE classes will be taught indoors and additional precautions will be put in place for athletic and extra-curricular events. Coaches are expanding normal precautions such as adding additional ice coolers on both sides of the field, additional hydration and cooling supplies, and ensuring EMTs and an ambulance are present at football games.

Each school has a plan in place for the next week and will work with opposing coaches to address the heat. Greenville Middle School will play its football game tonight at its normal time, but will request additional time in between quarters for players to recover. Georgiana is traveling to WS Neal in Brewton. Coach Norris reached out to their coaches and they have ensured us that there will be an ice tub on the side lines. McKenzie is playing at home and plans to have a later start time (7:30 pm). Greenville High School does not have a game this week.

The Greenville High School Band has reduced its outside practice time to half their normal practice time. They are also taking additional breaks during practice times. Further, they will be wearing shorts and dry fit shirts instead of their uniforms until the extreme heat passes.

The Greenville Parks and Recreation and the City of Greenville has provided additional fans to Greenville Middle School to keep the gym cooler for their PE classes. They are also allowing Greenville Middle and Greenville High School to use the Dunbar Gymnasium for the volleyball tournament this weekend.

Please note that once the game begins, officials retain the right to stop play of any sport if they believe conditions are unsafe.

We request that the public check the school’s Facebook and website pages prior to coming to any game in case there is a change of location or time.

For questions or additional information, you may contact Superintendent Joseph Eiland at joe.eiland@butlerco.k12.al.us or by phone at 334-382-2665.