FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- Several area schools in Iowa sent students home early due to soaring temperatures.

Fairfield community schools released students at 1:30 Thursday afternoon.  Centerville and Eddyville-Blakesburg school districts also had early dismissals. 

Room temperatures soared into the 70’s and all the way up to the 90’s on Thursday.

Fairfield superintendent Art Sathoff says students are allowed to bring in water to help cool down.

“I was in three elementary classrooms today and saw students with water bottles,” said Sathoff.  “I know our teachers understand hydration.  They’re uncomfortable like everybody else.”

Sathoff said the school had extra fans running and several doors open to help circulation in the schools.  The school does have plans for a $4.3 million project to bring air conditioning to the middle school. 

“That probably will go to build around to bid around December.  Then the fastest possible timeline would be having that building air conditioned for next fall.  It'd be great to have all the buildings air conditioned obviously.” 

Many of the older buildings in the school district keep in more heat compared to new buildings

Fairfield will once again dismiss at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.