Parents at Holbrook Language Academy in Concord are voicing their concerns about the heating situation inside some of the classrooms at the school.
One parent wrote to Claycord with the following message:
“I am a parent at Holbrook Language Academy. Do you remember back in the heat wave when our transformer blew and knocked out the HVAC? Well, guess what STILL isn’t fixed? MDUSD has been on notice of this issue since it blew during the summer and here we are in winter now with our kids freezing in multiple classrooms. They only addressed the issue when a bunch of parents sent emails and called the district. Only then did they see for to bring in portable space heaters which trip the fuses in some of the classrooms.
Our principal notified the parents on November 16 that the parts were finally in and the heat would be fixed “in a few days.” Here we are now with kids freezing in the classrooms in the morning and no update from our principals as to the status.
I’ve notified the principal and MDUSD that this is a safety concern, particularly for the kindergarten students who may burn themselves or, god forbid, tip over a heater and start a fire.
The parents are rightfully upset as the administration’s lack of concern for the health and safety of our kids.”
Claycord reached out to the school district.
Mt. Diablo Unified Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark replied to our inquiry, saying they plan to have the heating issues fixed by next week:
“The students’ comfort level is our highest priority. Since the PG&E incident on September 6, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District has been working to restore HVAC in all classrooms at the Holbrook Language Academy. Currently, five classrooms on the campus are still affected. Each of these has been provided with two portable heating units.
Due to manufacturing shortages that continue because of Covid, it has taken longer than anticipated to receive the parts necessary to make the repairs.
After our technicians installed newly received HVAC motors at Holbrook last week, they found that the HVAC panels also needed to be replaced. Those panels have been ordered and we anticipate that installation will be completed next week.”
The forecast for the rest of the week calls for morning temps in the 30s.
11 comments
I’m curious as to why this place is not called a “school”?
They thought they could put lipstick on a pig. It is just another poorly run MDUSD elementary school.
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Totally unacceptable and inexcusable.
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Unconditioned (too cold!) classrooms are not conducive to learning.
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Facilities personnel do not stock spare parts?… especially blower motors, solenoids, and valves?
Ummm
Most schools/offices do not stock these spare parts. Do you realize how many different pets there are in one of the commercial HVAC unit? Do you realize that there would be a huge expense in carrying Costa for those materials? Probably not to be both of my questions based on your original comment here.
I will give you a cold classroom ia not completely conductive to learning, but put on a jacket and let the little electrical heaters work. It is inconvenient but it takes time to get parts. I just waited 3 weeks for a part that used to be on the shelf in stock.
This school has been wildly mismanaged since it opened a handful of years ago. It could have been great, but whenever MDUSD gets its hands on something… It has turned into a real show, unfortunately.
Well thank goodness we have millions of dollars in 25 yr-warranted solar panels and Inverters ~~ hooked up and running power to all those new hvac systems for every room and the kitchen/multipurpose dining room… just in the last few years! We do have all that, don’t we? How else could we explain where all that $358 Million in bond funds went.
WAY TO GO, . . . . Mr, Mayor ! ! !
What happened to all those millions of COVID dollars that were going to upgrade the facilities? Seriously. The state threw hundreds of millions of dollars at the schools, one of the chief reasons the teachers unions had for not resuming in person learning was old facilities that had to be upgraded. So, where is that money?
I agree it’s not the best environment for the kids to be learning in. However, for short term the space heaters help. As to them tipping over and starting a fire. Space heaters no longer pose that danger. They automatically shut off when tipped or fallen over. Personally I was more upset about them having no air conditioning in September when it’s was up in high 90’s and 100’s that was a lot more dangerous.
If there is no heat in the classrooms the school needs to close until the situation is remedied… full stop!
Should of been fixed in the summer time. No excuse. You parents all need to go down to the board meeting next week and speak on this!
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