With the temperatures beginning to drop, the Holbrook School District is going to have to cover an unplanned expense in order to keep students out of the cold this winter.
When school maintenance personnel recently opened up one of the heating units at Park Elementary School, they discovered that the unit was in a condition that required it to be labeled as “red-tagged,” meaning that it was no longer operable. Units throughout the district were then inspected, and it was determined that 31 were no longer safe to operate and new units would need to be purchased throughout the district.
“We do have temporary heating in the way of space heating and industrial space heaters that will be brought in over the weekend. None of the students will be in cold rooms while we deal with this,” assured Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich, who added that many of the units in the district are as many as 30 years old.
The purchase of the units was not a planned expense for the district at this time and will require that planned projects be reviewed.
“I’m not sure how much the units will cost at this time, but it will mean putting some projects planned for the junior high on the back burner this year,” stated Koerperich.
Park School and the Holbrook Junior High School will be using the space heaters while the district puts out a bid request for the new units. Koerperich estimates that it could take four to five weeks to receive the units.
“The number one concern for the students is safety, education is secondary. We will have the new units installed by the first of the year,” said the superintendent.
