By Juliana Riverin
Assistant Managing Editor
Classrooms in the Mira Costa south history building were equipped with individual window air conditioning units this past August.
Originally, the building was supposed to be equipped with a central air system. However, the Department of State Architects did not approve the plans because they did not incorporate an updated fire alarm system.
“The issue of air conditioning was first brought up by the school board during the 2013-2014 school year, so it is something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews said. “We wanted to finish the project by putting in central air before this school year, but unfortunately that didn’t work out.”
Currently, the administration plans to implement a central air system in the history building for next year. Then, the administration will move the individual window units to the English classrooms. However, Costa History teacher Bill Fauver and Costa French teacher Laurie Resnikoff who led the effort advocating for air conditioning, remain unconvinced.
“We’ve been trying to get air conditioning in the history building since before this administration, and every year we’d be told that we’d get it next year,” Fauver said. “Now, we’re being told that we’ll have central air next year, but I’m skeptical that it will happen.”
According to Resnikoff, the amount of time it has taken to implement the air conditioning causes of much of the frustration, seeing as the school board has been discussing it since 2013. The fact that teachers were told that there would be central air, not individual window units is additionally aggravating.
“In the end putting in the air conditioning comes down to a money issue,” Matthews said. “This is a multi-million dollar solution for the district, because it’s not just Costa we’re talking about, we’re also putting air conditioning in the middle school, so purchasing new fire alarms for the history building delayed the project.”
In previous years, teachers were told to move their classes to the air conditioned administration building if their classrooms were too hot. According to Resnikoff, this solution was a waste of time and hinderance to students’ ability to learn. The individual air conditioning units will remedy the situation.
“I’m sure being in a cooler room is more comfortable for the students,” Dale said. “It’s obvious that having teachers stay in their rooms is good, because they’re in their own classes, their own teaching environments.”
According to Fauver, in spite of their frustrations the teachers agree that the new air conditioning units will bring a positive change to the classrooms, specifically regarding student ability to focus.
“When I’m teaching, I can tell when my class is focused and I know for a fact that being in a hot, stuffy room is detrimental to the learning environment,” Resnikoff said. “I definitely think that having a cool classroom will help students learn and be successful.”
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