Wake County middle school remains closed Friday due to ongoing HVAC issues

Dangerous heat forced at least two Wake County schools to send students home in the last two days.

Lake Myra Elementary School in Wendell sent students home early on Wednesday due to HVAC issues. On Thursday, Moore Square Magnet Middle School in downtown Raleigh dismissed students early, at 11:30 a.m. and said Thursday evening the school would be closed on Friday, due to no air conditioning in the building.

Moore Square Magnet Middle School will remain closed Friday, and Lake Myra Elementary School will resume classes Friday.

Heating and cooling issues are not new for schools in the Wake County Public School System.

According to a 2020 study from the Government Accountability Office, nearly 36,000 schools in the country need HVAC system updates. Last year, some Wake County high schools were forced to close early because of faulty air conditioning units.

During a State of the County address in July, Wake School Board Chair Chris Heagarty spoke about the issue, saying Wake County schools closed due to malfunctioning HVAC systems more than 40 times in the last year.

"Each one of these closures represents a serious disruption to learning," Heagarty said. "Simply put many of our HVAC units are aging, and we just don't have enough specialists on staff to keep up with maintenance and repairs."

According to school budget documents, nearly $125 million was put aside last year for maintenance and operations, which includes HVAC systems, but there’s a backlog on work orders for HVAC systems that have been "stretched beyond normal and recommended life spans."

The issue could persist for days – and months – to come. Heat advisories are in place Friday, when it could feel hotter than 105 degrees, and summer is far from over.

WRAL News on Thursday met a Heritage Middle School student, Lyla, who said school was canceled two days last week because the HVAC system was not working. She and her classmates sat in 80-degree classrooms.

"It was really hot, like more hot than anytime else," she said. "Everyone started noticing it. Me and my friends kept talking like, it’s so hot here. We could not talk about anything else."

Dr. Jennifer Lawson, a clinical associate in the Duke Department of Pediatrics, said it’s incredibly important to ensure a comfortable space for kids to learn.

"It's critical for everyone in those buildings," Lawson said. "If you have trouble focusing, you’re not going to absorb the information as well and be able to engage in that learning."

Crews on Thursday began installing new chilling systems at Lake Myra Elementary after its HVAC systems failed. Crews were also at Moore Square Magnet Middle School on Thursday to make repairs.