Air Conditioning Issues Lead Glen Rock Schools Prep for Hot Days

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Glen Rock NJ, Glen Rock Schools Superintendent Brett Charleston, explained in a letter to the district that a newly installed air conditioning component  will be delayed in its activation. Due to this delay, the Glen Rock School District Restart Committee has agreed unanimously to institute a set of recommendations which include virtual or remote  learning days during an “excessively hot day” or if the area is expected to go through a heat wave.

August 27, 2020

Dear Glen Rock Elementary School Community,

The Board of Education, at the August 25, 2020 meeting, shared that there will most likely be a delay activating the air-conditioning component of the newly installed unit ventilators. These ventilators are part of the referendum that was approved in March of 2019. Please note the following supplemental information:

● All 100 of the new unit ventilators are installed and functional sans the air-conditioning component.
● Each unit has an operational Merv 8 filter. Per our Environmental Consultant, the standard for unit ventilators in schools is Merv 8.
● Though the substantial completion date is September 30, 2020, it is likely that there will be classrooms and/or entire school buildings that will have fully operational air-conditioning prior to September 11, 2020.
● Pre-existing air-conditioning units in the elementary schools are currently operational (i.e. gyms, all purpose rooms, media centers, etc.).
● Prior to the start of school, each unit ventilator will be balanced, tested and certified to ensure it is bringing in 20% of fresh air.
● Hamilton Elementary School has already been tested, with the remaining elementary schools scheduled to have testing completed by Wednesday, September 2, 2020. Results of the tests will be posted on the district webpage
once received.

The members of the Restart Committee * met yesterday to discuss the above information and agreed unanimously with the following recommendations concerning the wellbeing of the students and staff in the elementary buildings:

● While we hope for mild weather at the start of school, we are prepared to make the decision to go virtual should we encounter an excessively hot day or expect a heat wave. In prior years, the district would schedule an early dismissal day;
however, this school year is very different. This switch to virtual would be only for elementary schools without fully operational air-conditioning and would not affect the Middle School or High School.
● Decisions regarding a “heat day” will be made by the superintendent in conjunction with the school doctor.
● If there is a need to call a “heat day,” the decision will be made no later than 6:00 pm the night before to provide teachers and parents time to make appropriate plans for virtual learning.
● If a heat wave is expected, we will make a timely decision to go virtual for the duration of the heat wave so that parents and teachers can plan accordingly.
● We understand fully that parents and teachers need sufficient time to prepare for the switch to virtual instruction. We will do our best to give as much advance notice as possible.
● As each elementary school comes online with air-conditioning, any “heat day” decisions would not be applicable and said school would be open for in person instruction.

Please note this does not mean a move to the Red Phase. It means due to excessiveheat and humidity instruction will be virtual. Teachers will be allowed to teach their students from home on these “heat days.” Once the excessive heat and humidity has passed, in-person instruction will resume.

Our commitment to do what is best for kids will always be our driving factor. We strongly believe in person instruction is paramount for our students, and as such, we
feel this approach will best serve our kids.
We are Glen Rock Schools!
Be well,
Brett Charleston, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools