CHATTAROY, Wash. – Students in the Riverside School District returned to school with a surprise: an HVAC system that’s causing uncomfortable temperatures in the high and middle schools.
The district had hoped to replace the system with funds from last year’s levy, but the bond failed. Now, temperatures inside both schools average around 80 degrees due to the old HVAC system, which has struggled in the past but not to this extent.
Staff have been opening windows at night and using fans in hopes of cooling the buildings. Sixty industrial fans are being brought in and portable chillers may arrive soon.
“As a parent, that’s unacceptable. There has to be a better way for these students to learn,” Kayla Koehler said. “If that’s the first thing they say when they get home, ‘oh wow, it’s so hot in our classrooms.’ They’re not going to be able to efficiently learn that way.”
Students in the high and middle schools were released early at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, and this may continue. Elementary students remain longer as their building is cooler.
Superintendent Ken Russell emphasized the need for a new system.
“Because of our skilled maintenance workers, we’ve been able to limp along and make some updates and hang in there as much as we can, but we’re having more and more emergencies, more and more mechanical failures,” he said.
This November, the district is running an $18 million bond for five years, with $16 million allocated for a new HVAC system and the remaining $2 million for safety and security upgrades.
