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Apr 07, 2024

Calvin Donaldson Elementary to close Tuesday due to A/C issues

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Calvin Donaldson Elementary School will be closed on Tuesday, August 22. This is due to an ongoing problem with their air conditioning.

The school first started having HVAC problems on Monday morning.

Community members consider the lack of air conditioning to be a health concern.

Teachers had previously been issued thermometers to monitor the temperature of the classrooms.

The school expects to have a temporary fix by Wednesday and a permanent fix sometime soon.

Hamilton County Schools Communication Officer Steve Doremus issued a statement on the A/C problem:

The safety and well-being of students and staff is the highest priority for Hamilton County Schools. Due to ongoing issues with the air-conditioning unit at Calvin Donaldson Elementary School, that facility will be closed for students and staff tomorrow, Tuesday, August 22nd.

After encountering HVAC problems on Monday morning, HCS maintenance crews worked to restore cooling to the school. It soon became apparent that the unit could not keep up with the demands of today’s extreme heat. Temporary measures were taken to assist the HVAC system and protect students and staff, including putting box fans in every room, taking frequent breaks, and hydrating. It has been determined that the building’s chiller unit has issues that cannot be repaired. We are working with vendors to install a temporary unit this week, and it is expected to be operational on Wednesday. A permanent replacement chiller has been ordered, and it is expected to arrive soon.