DeKalb middle school grapples with A/C problems during scorching first week

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Amid a sweltering heat wave, parents are raising concerns over air conditioning issues at Peachtree Middle School, where half of the classrooms lack proper cooling.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes visited the school to understand the problem first-hand. The Dekalb County School District provided access to various areas, including a crucial mechanical room, where efforts are underway to restore AC to all classrooms by Monday.

Portable air conditioners have been placed in different rooms, and the staff is keeping shades down to block the sun since the main air conditioner stopped functioning on the second day of school.

Principal Dr. Jennifer Gates, who is new to the role, shared that her team was prepared for such challenges.

“In the meantime, everyone is dedicated to students doing their best,” Gates said.

To manage the situation, students are being kept mostly in the cooler sections of the building.

Gates emphasized the importance of honesty and resilience as life lessons for the students during this disruption.

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“This is the age at which they feel with heightened emotion and everything is a really big deal and that’s why the learning is so important and exciting because as kids are going through these experiences—they’re growing into big people,” Gates said. “They’re understanding that this is a real-life situation and then they know how to change their own practice going forward – It’s all a life lesson.”

The school is tackling the issue at its root: the heat exchange system.

Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer of the Dekalb County School District, explained to Fernandes that technical steps being taken to resolve the issue.

“It couldn’t keep up with producing cool air, so we cleaned it, we maintained it, and we also updated and repaired some of the pieces and parts. We anticipate having that back up and running no later than Monday morning,” Hofstetter said.

Georgia Power advises keeping thermostats at 78 degrees, which some may find warm.

The hottest parts of the school were a few degrees cooler than that, but staff are working diligently to bring temperatures down to around 70 degrees by next week.

Parents and staff remain hopeful that the cooling system will be up and running soon to ensure a comfortable learning environment for all students.

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