KEEPING SCHOOLS OPEN WHEN HEAT OR AC GOES DOWN

School facilities must be comfortable and safe for students to attain the best learning outcomes possible. Yet problems with heating systems or schools built without air conditioning present daunting challenges for leaders at these learning facilities. Too often, administrators are confronted with the choice between forcing students and faculty to endure substandard conditions, or sending students back to homes where instruction, hot meals, and adult supervision may not be available.

Recent headlines have demonstrated the negative impact that failing heat systems or lack of air conditioning can have on student achievement when there is no emergency temperature control plan. This past winter, a New York Times piece reported on conditions affecting many Baltimore city schools where classrooms were so frigid, students had no choice but to attend classes bundled up in coats, hats and gloves.[1] Baltimore Teachers Union President Marietta English called the conditions “unfair and inhumane, to say the least.” According to the district’s CEO, as maintenance workers made repairs in one school, problems would arise in others.

Issues with HVAC in schools are impactful beyond just the coldest days of winter—they also extend to the hot conditions of late spring and early fall. Education news hub The74 ran an exclusive article last summer detailing the impact that a scarcity of air conditioning in some of the largest districts in the United States had on test scores.[2] The article reports that according to Harvard research on Regents state exam scores, “students score lower on tests taken on very hot days and have a harder time learning overall during school years with higher-than-average temperatures.” Harvard’s data indicates that students were 12% more likely to fail Regents tests if they were taken on a 90° day rather than a 72° day, and were 2% less likely to earn a high school diploma. With graduation rates and more at stake, schools need better access to short-term temperature control solutions.

The Irish National Teachers Organization recommends that when classroom temperatures drop below 16°C (or about 60°F), students should be assembled in an alternative space for the day, such as a gym. Further, if heating cannot be provided before the following day, students should be told to stay home until further notice.[3] Of course, when repairs will take more than just a day or two to complete, schools need fast, reliable backup options.

Extreme temperatures can wreak havoc in a school environment, resulting in poor student behavior, subpar learning and testing outcomes, and even complete shutdowns of school operations. Polygon has the right equipment and expertise needed to keep school doors open when heating or AC systems fail. By utilizing energy-efficient equipment, Polygon can create an optimum climate to keep teachers and students in comfortable, safe learning conditions, ensuring that shutdowns are a thing of the past.

Read more at polygongroup.com

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

pillars
Discovering Your Guiding Pillars: Aligning Ambition with Wellbeing for a Purpose-Driven Career
October 28, 2025

Success without sacrifice—that’s what more leaders are striving for. As burnout rates climb among high-achieving professionals balancing leadership, entrepreneurship, and family, the question of how to build sustainable success without sacrificing health or identity has never been more timely. Gallup’s research shows that burnout is far from rare: roughly three-quarters of U.S. employees say…

Read More
HR Like a Boss
HR Like a Boss: Building Purpose-Driven, People-Focused, Profitable Teams
October 28, 2025

HR teams are navigating the tension between technology and empathy, discovering new ways to lead with purpose while keeping people at the heart of every transformation. Artificial intelligence, automation, and hybrid work models are rapidly reshaping workplace culture, pushing HR to evolve from administrative oversight to true strategic leadership. As a recent SHRM report…

Read More
appreciation
When Recognition Feels Real, Culture Thrives: The Quiet Power of Genuine Appreciation at Work
October 27, 2025

Employee appreciation is getting a much-needed rethink. Between hybrid teams, retention pressures, and a rising demand for authenticity at work, HR leaders are being asked to prove that recognition isn’t just a line item. According to Gallup, employees who feel they receive the right level of recognition are four times more likely to be…

Read More
benefits costs
External HR Support Can Help Small and Midsize Businesses Manage Rising Benefits Costs and Compliance Complexity
October 27, 2025

Healthcare costs are surging, and compliance landscapes are growing more complex across state lines. HR professionals are forced to rethink how they support both their people and their business strategy. Rising benefits costs, multi-state compliance, and talent retention pressures have converged to make HR one of the most critical and complex functions for small…

Read More