by Michele Catahay, KUAM News Thursday, November 29, 2007 Subscribe to Michele's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

Just when things were beginning to cool off, things are heating back up at Tamuning Elementary School. Students at the central school are feeling the heat once again, as a majority of the classrooms are without working air conditioning units. (This comes a few months after the units were repaired.) A total of 36 out of 46 classrooms are currently without the services of functional A/C.

"I told the board I'd challenge them to come to my school, sit in my class and watch my teacher give a lesson, because it's so hot," said Student Body Association president Geawna Hernandez. The outspoken fifth grader had approached the Guam Education Policy Board during its meeting last night, voicing her frustrations. The student says teachers are conducting classes outside because the heat has become unbearable, adding that she doesn't want to return back a modified bell schedule.

She explained, "It's really hot and I know that not all of the kids like school, but I kind of like school and I don't want to go back to the 12 o'clock schedule anymore. I like the two, but I want the air cons to work when our schedule is from 8 to 2." And just when you thought the air conditioning problem at Tamuning Elementary was resolved, nearly two weeks ago the units gave out.

Principal Kathy Reyes says they're doing all they can to fix the problem, telling KUAM News, "We have two compressors that were dismantled from Southern High because they are not being utilized. So what they did was brought those two compressors to Tamuning. So the good news is that there's a light at the end of the tunnel where we have the compressors now."

Reyes says the installing of the compressors is just a temporary fix, as they wait for the two chiller units to arrive. The Guam Public School System was appropriated money to purchase chillers for the school. In the meantime, contractor JRN was at the school today and will continue to work tomorrow and Saturday. Reyes expects the classrooms to be a lot cooler come Monday morning. Parents have been calling and students have been airing out their frustrations about the air cons at Tamuning Elementary School.

Said Reyes, "The bottom line is that we already did what we had to do. It's just a matter of waiting for the chillers and it should be here any week - any time right now."