Bowe School closed until ventilation issues are solved

Sept. 16, 2020 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

CHICOPEE – Most of the students at the Patrick E. Bowe School have been switched to a remote learning format because of air quality concerns at the school.

In a message to parents last week, David T. Drugan, the principal of the school wrote, “At this time I must report that all Patrick E. Bowe students may be operating in a remote status until Feb. 1, 2021.”

He added, “I know this may not be welcome news for those parents who selected in-person learning for their children, however I wanted to ensure this update was brought to our schools community as soon as it was received.”

School Superintendent Lynn Clark confirmed to Reminder Publishing the decision was made after the city received a report dated Sept. 9 from Perkins-Eastman. It is the only school in this condition, Clark said.

The Bowe School has a 60-plus years old heating system, according to the report and Clark explained that windows are the school’s ventilation system.

The report noted the school has none of the MERV air filters that are being used in more modern systems that can make the air cleaner.

Clark said renovations to the Bowe system would be made but it is too early to know how much the measures would cost.

Clark added students who were in the first phase of going back to school would be bused to a different location. She noted the phased-in hybrid plan with a remote option has only 480 students district-wide in the first phase.

“It’s a very conservative plan,” Clark said.  

Writing in the introduction of the report, Joseph Costa said, “Lastly, in our visit to Chicopee Public Schools facilities, only three of your schools are equipped with centralized ventilation systems (including air conditioning) and only one (Dupont Middle School) is equipped with high efficiency filters within the system. The vast majority of your schools (mostly elementary schools and Bellamy Middle School) are equipped with unit ventilators designed to provide heated air obtained from the exterior through wall louvers and grilles. Filtration and conditioning the air using these systems is challenging. Our report provides recommendations of making the best of a limited mechanical system at these schools.”

The report listed some options for Bowe School that including using portable air cleaners and “opening the windows for natural ventilation and/or providing fans in the window.”

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