By Allison Bazzle
Baltimore Watchdog Staff writer
The Baltimore County Board of Education Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a contract to install and repair new digital controls for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in its schools so they can better regulate the temperature.
The board’s chairman, David Uhlfelder, said 97 percent of the county’s schools will have air-conditioning when the $17.2 million project is completed in June 2021.
The contract, which is managed by the Department of Physical Facilities, is needed officials said because 48 Baltimore County schools do not have air conditioning. Work on this project is set to begin immediately.
“It’s a lot of money,” board member Stephen Verch said. “We have over 170 buildings. By digitizing, there’s a way to program the heating, air conditioning and ventilation during peak times.”
School Superintendent Dallas Dance opened the meeting with an explanation on the process of the cancellation or early dismissal of schools due to heat. Students were dismissed early on Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 because high temperatures affected those schools without air conditioning units.
Dance said the Department of Physical Facilities notifies him no later than 10 a.m. if temperature data supports the recommendation to dismiss schools due to extreme heat.
The superintendent is the only person who has the authority to close schools. Dance said people must remember that schools have to meet state guidelines for the number of school days as well as school hours. The guidelines at the elementary school level are 180 days and 1,080 hours.
Dozens of concerned parents attended Tuesday’s meeting just as they did last Tuesday when they went to the Baltimore County Council to speak about the heat in schools. Seven parents were chosen to speak during the public comment session, each had three minutes to speak.
“There’s not one person in this room that would turn their air conditioning off for a week,” said Jill Garofalo, who has a student who attends Pot Springs Elementary. “Temperatures last week exceeded 87-92 degrees in the school building before lunch. You’re talking asthma attacks, migraines, and dehydration for these kids and for teachers too.”
Megan Schisler, a Chapel Hill Elementary parent, said overcrowded buildings only add to the issue. Schisler said Chapel Hill has a capacity of 636 students, but 798 are enrolled this year.
“I have seen children coming out of school with red faces and hair soaking wet with sweat, just sitting at their desks,” Schisler said. “I believe that Baltimore County sets the bar for other counties to follow, but what is it saying when we are spending money on standardized testing and technology devices but our children are uncomfortable in their school classes.”
“Prisons have air conditioning, why don’t our schools?” said Alicia Prisco, a Kingsville Elementary School parent.
After hearing concerns from the public, Uhlfelder asked the school board’s Policy Review Committee, overseen by board member Romaine Williams, to revisit the heat policy and evaluate available options.
Board member Kathleen Causey said options are already being discussed that will be handed to the board to review immediately, so work can begin in the Policy Review Committee. The committee will start by looking at the counties surrounding Baltimore County that have been able to implement air conditioning.
The next Board of Education meeting will be held on Oct. 6, at 7 p.m., on the Greenwood Campus.