ISLE OF WIGHT CO., Va. - After being closed for the first two days of the new school year due to issues with the building's air conditioning, Westside Elementary School in Isle of Wight County will reopen Thursday.
A spokesperson with Isle of Wight County Schools said Monday the school district's maintenance department discovered that the cooling tower for Westside Elementary's air conditioning system had failed sometime late Sunday or early Monday. Maintenance crews were doing a routine check of all buildings in preparation for the first day of school.
The school was closed Tuesday and Wednesday as the school district worked with its vendor to find a replacement part. They say HVAC technicians and Trane consultants "worked all day" to resolve the issue.
After technicians removed the motor from one of the cooling towers, it was determined that the motor needed to be completely replaced. The part was shipped from Pennsylvania and was delivered and installed Wednesday.
The spokesperson said the school does not have windows that open and that the elevated temperature and humidity in the building, along with no air circulation, creates an "unbearable and unhealthy environment."
Westside Elementary will reopen at its regular time on Thursday and operate on a regular schedule. Officials say the two missed days will not need to be made up due to time already built into the school calendar.
Parents can keep up with updates through the school district's Connect 5 system. Information can also be found on the district's official website and social media accounts.
