Simmer School

FULLERTON — Sixth-grader Johnny Nguyen peeled off his eyeglasses and dunked his face in the drinking fountain to cool off.

A pony-tailed Brenda Castille read under some shade outside her classroom door to escape the heat.

But fifth-grade teacher Tracy Ramont had few solutions to Wednesday’s sweltering temperatures after finding out that her only classroom fan was broken.

“Today’s awful,” Ramont said, padding the trickling sweat from her forehead. “When it gets this hot, it can really set us back. The kids get antsy, it’s hard for them to focus and we can’t get as much done.”

As the mercury shot into the 90s Wednesday, Valencia Park Elementary students and teachers struggled to ride out this week’s heat wave. Some teachers were clad in shorts. Virtually everyone clutched water bottles to avoid dehydration.

“The heat just zaps all your energy out of you,” teacher Denise York said, fanning herself.

Wednesday’s highs ranged from 93 in Anaheim to a bearable 76 in Newport Beach, according to WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times. The unseasonably high temperatures, caused by high pressures and air compression, are expected to rise into the mid 90s today and last through Friday, meteorologists said.

The forecast is glum news to some Valencia Park teachers and students.

About half of the classes in this 50-year-old Fullerton school building have air-conditioning. The others sweated it out in muggy rooms where lights were turned off and fans were blasting to tame the heat.

Chaos sometimes erupts in such boiling temperatures.

On Wednesday, restless students continually dashed to the water fountains--then to the restrooms. Others huddled around fans that droned so loudly, teachers had to strain their voices all day to be heard.

Second-grade teacher Kathy Pitts allowed her 30 students to read on the tile floor and under outside shade where it was cooler. In other classes, folded paper fans were popular inventions. But the playground’s metal jungle gym was clearly unpopular.

The kids profusely complained about the heat.

“We can’t run around much,” said Brigesh Bhayani, nursing a water bottle. “During recess, we just end up sitting under a tree to stay cool.”

Lauren Phillips dreads the run in her phys ed class today because she fears another near-fainting spell like the one she experienced last year.

“I overheated when we ran the mile last year,” said the freckle-faced 11-year-old, fanning her face with a folded map of Egypt. “I got sent home.”

Cases of severe fatigue and dehydration are rare, teachers said, but the staff is always on guard.

“We remind them to wear light clothing and to bring water bottles,” Vice Principal Gretchen Francisco said.

Parents also geared up for the uncomfortable heat. Teri Drake’s kindergarten daughter soaked in their swimming pool all morning before going to school.

Does the heat concern Drake? A bit.

“But we’re native Californians. This is the way of life,” the 35-year-old mom said. “The kids will just have to cool off after school with a water balloon fight.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

How Hot Was It?

The heat is on, but it set no records Wednesday. High temperatures are expected to continue through Friday with a slight cooling trend into the weekend. Santa Ana marks for May 28:

Wednesday: 92

Last year: 75

Normal: 75

Record high: 98 (1978)

****

Wednesday highs from around the county:

Anaheim: 93

Dana Point: 80

Lake Forest: 90

Laguna Beach: 88

Newport Beach: 76

San Juan Capistrano: 89

Santa Ana: 92

Source: WeatherData Inc.