PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland Public Schools officials announced all of the schools in the district will close early on Friday due to "unusual and extreme heat."

"After careful review of conditions across our schools, we have made the decision to release all students two hours early tomorrow, Friday, August 29," said a statement from PPS Operations Team.

The decision was made due to not only the discomfort the heat may cause, but also because of the safety hazard it poses, as well as affecting students' ability to learn, officials said.

"The decision was not made lightly. Over the past week, our teams have taken every step in our heat mitigation plan -- opening windows early, closing blinds to block sunlight, adjusting room assignments, providing hydration, and deploying fans to hot

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