District reports Dec. 15 steam leak and Jan. 10 boiler malfunction at Freetown Elementary; pool assessment recommended
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Summary
District facilities staff reported a December unit‑ventilator coil failure that activated the fire alarm and a Jan. 10 mixing‑valve malfunction that forced a one‑day school closure. The committee was also reminded of an engineering study recommendation for the high‑school pool.
District facilities and operations staff reported two separate heating‑system incidents at Freetown Elementary School and said repairs were completed or underway.
On Dec. 15 a coil malfunction in a unit ventilator (classroom K‑2) released steam and set off the fire alarm; staff relocated the class while crews repaired and cleaned the room, the director said. On the morning of Jan. 10 a mixing valve malfunction caused the boilers to shut down, and the district canceled school that day; the mixing valve has since been repaired and the system returned to service, district staff reported.
District maintenance also experienced uneven heating after new HVAC controls were installed; the director said dampers that had not operated in years revealed brittle weatherstripping that broke when opened, creating gaps that staff have been repairing. The district expects classroom heating and controls issues to be resolved within about a week from the Jan. 13 update.
On the high‑school pool, staff said a consultant’s earlier assessment recommended an engineering study to identify the full scope and cost to restore pool operations. Committee members asked for a detailed cost estimate before deciding whether to repair, repurpose, or close the pool; district staff agreed to provide a full assessment for committee review.
Why it matters: equipment malfunctions that interrupt building heating can affect health, attendance and learning; the January boiler issue required a one‑day cancellation. The pool is a district asset that committee members said should be evaluated fully before major repair or disposal decisions are made.
No formal vote was taken on pool work during the meeting; staff said they will provide a written update and time line for follow‑up.