North Elementary School could become an entirely air-conditioned building by the next school year.
Earlier this month, District 117 board members approved the consideration of a plan to transfer window air conditioners from Lincoln Elementary to North Elementary.
Superintendent Steve Ptacek notes that Lincoln Elementary, which is scheduled to undergo a $5-million school renovation this summer, was previously the district’s summer school program location. An electrical panel upgrade was conducted at Lincoln Elementary years ago to power the air conditioners for that purpose.
If the district decides to transfer the air conditioning units from Lincoln Elementary, a similar electrical panel upgrade must take place at North Elementary.
Ptacek says District 117 has a pair of options on how to handle this situation.
“Are we going to do an 800 AMP upgrade at this time to power all those air conditioners? If the QSCB application is approved we would have the money for a major renovation, including an entire new HVAC system, that would require a 1,200 AMP service.”
The air conditioning units must be transferred before the beginning of the next school year. Ptacek says the latest District 117 could approve this action would be the April board meeting.