Tuesday's subfreezing temperatures put a strain on some of the district's heating systems.
This week’s cold snap revealed continuing problems in the San Antonio Independent School District, which struggled to keep some students warm at one of its high schools. The district sent out a lengthy letter to SAISD families and staff this week, explaining its efforts to repair, maintain and upgrade heating systems at its 86 schools, serving some 44,000 students, after several heating failures this week.
“As we prepare for more extreme weather that may occur during the winter months, we want to share how we will approach inclement weather and decisions related to school closures,” Superintendent Jaime Aquino said in the letter. Related: SAISD prepared to bus students if AC systems fail The district, which closed its schools last year due to widespread failures during a hard January freeze, estimates its schools need more than $584 million in building upgrades. For now, each school principal has plans in place to move students to warm areas on campus when classrooms are too cold. Aquino said the district has performed $75 million in repairs and parts replacements and installed more than 300 new major mechanical system components, 34 chillers and 15 boilers. To prepare for severe winter weather, the district also has: •Insulated all exterior piping. •Purchased and distributed 750 portable climate-control units. •Adjusted schedules for technicians, facilities managers and customer service employees to ensure communication and services are available starting at 4 a.m. •Notified mechanical contractors for supplemental support when needed. •Developed mitigation plans for school principals to move students to a library, cafeteria or other alternative location when classrooms are too cold or hot. “Despite all of these efforts, the age and condition of our buildings makes our systems work harder and makes it more difficult to evenly cool and heat the buildings. Seventy-seven of our schools were built prior to air conditioning being a standard school building amenity,” Aquino wrote. Some classrooms at Highlands High School, one of six schools with heating problems, had temperatures in the lower 50s on Tuesday, setting off complaints from parents. District officials said systems at Highlands were functioning before classes began that day. But a boiler failed, and some classrooms got cold until the mechanical issue was resolved in the afternoon and temperatures from 69-72 degrees were restored. The breakdown at Highlands was one of nearly 30 the district dealt with throughout the day Tuesday after outdoor temperatures fell below freezing and climbed to a high of 50. While most of the problems were fixed within an hour, the boiler repair at Highlands took longer. Related: SAISD board approves plan to fast-track system repairs A district spokesperson said the boiler at Highlands has since been operational. Other schools where technicians were dispatched Tuesday were Fox Tech and Burbank high schools, and Graebner, Carvajal, and Washington elementary schools. The district also has struggled to cool some of its building during periods of extreme heat. The SAISD took action last August, authorizing the staff to bypass state procurement laws so it can fast-track air-conditioning repairs. SAISD spokeswoman Laura Short said the board authorization allows the district to avoid supply chain delays and repair systems faster 'when faced with issues on older or specialized equipment.' 'We were able to use this ability for the purchase of new chillers for Highland Hills Elementary, J.T. Brackenridge Elementary, Carvajal Elementary, and M.L. King Academy,' Short said. The district recommends families make sure students dress in layers and use the SAISD bus stop locator to check on pickup times in order to avoid long waits. Families may call SAISD Constituent Services at 210-554-2210.
Fox Tech SAISD Constituent Services Jaime Aquino Graebner Carvajal Highlands High School Highlands Burbank Washington
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