SMITHFIELD -- 'We are melting.'
That's how one teacher described conditions inside Smithfield Middle School on Wednesday. The air conditioning system is broken and the windows do not open.
School officials said workers and Trane officials are working to get the unit working as unusually warm weather gripped the region. Temperatures are expected near record highs today, in the mid- to upper-80s. The record is 87 degrees, said 13News Meteorologist Craig Moeller.
'The rise in temperature is an unexpected occurrence for everyone across Hampton Roads and we are doing everything possible to provide a comfortable learning environment for our students as we switch our units over from heating to cooling,' said Schools spokeswoman Kenita D. Bowers.
Parents were being phoned or emailed a message from the principal advising them of the situation so their children can dress appropriately until the AC is fixed, Bowers added.
There had been no reports to the school nurse or administrators of students getting sick because of the heat, she stated.
ADVISORY FROM SMITHFIELD MS:
Good Morning Smithfield Middle Parents and Guardians-
This is Principal Jeff Mordica calling to inform you that we are currently experiencing issues with our HVAC system as we switch over from heating to cooling the building. The unexpected rise in temperature has caused some of our classrooms to be a little warmer than usual and our Maintenance Department is working to fix the problem as quickly as possible. According to the forecasts, the warmer temperatures will continue for the remainder of the week so I'd also like to encourage Parents to keep that in mind as your children are getting dressed for school. We appreciate your patience as we continue working to provide a comfortable learning environment for our students. As always, please do not hesitate to call our main office with any further questions or concerns regarding this matter.
Thank you.
Jeff Mordica
Principal, Smithfield Middle School
