School may revert to early dismissal following air conditioning breakdown

McCOOK, Neb. — An unexpected breakdown at the high school’s air conditioning system may mean early dismissals from classes once school starts.

That’s one of the scenarios Superintendent Grant Norgaard told the McCook School Board he’s looking at due to the malfunction.

There are leaks in the copper tubing that are causing the freon to leak, Norgaard told the board Monday night at the regular meeting, adding that repairs are expected to be expensive.

“It’s more than you’re imagining right now,” he said, admitting the repair costs also shocked him at first.

Air conditioning was first installed at the high school in 2012, a welcome relief for students and teachers alike due to the sizzling temperatures in August when classes resumed for the year. Before air conditioning, classes were typically dismissed early in the afternoon, Norgaard said, which “we might be looking at again this year.”

Additional remedies would be not cooling the gym or auditorium. With the air conditioning working, those areas were usually kept at about 80 degrees anyway, he said.

With school starting in about five weeks, time is of the essence. Norgaard said he has no final numbers yet for the repair and added that he is waiting on two bids. Although state law says school board approval is needed only for purchases or capital improvement projects over $100,000, Norgaard said he would keep the board updated on the situation.

How to “maneuver dollars to pay for it” would likely include using money from the depreciation fund, he said, although there are no budgeted amounts for the repair.

School starts Wednesday, Aug, 15, for kindergarten through ninth grade, with classes starting the following day for grades 10-12.