Fake vs. Fact | Setting the Record Straight (Air Conditioning in the High School)
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At the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, we believe that open, honest communication is the foundation of a strong partnership with our community. Often, speculation on social media or in neighborhood conversations, like a game of telephone, can cloud the reality of the work being done in our school buildings. You don’t have time for confusion, and you deserve the facts.
We have created this Fake vs. Fact page to serve as a direct, credible source for our community. Here, we address common rumors with verified, evidence-based information, ensuring you have the clarity you need to stay informed about our schools, our scholars, and our future.
This Fake vs. Fact page serves as a direct 'source of truth' for our community, dedicated to replacing uncertainty with understanding. By comparing common rumors and disinformation against verified data and district policy, we aim to eliminate confusion and ensure every conversation about our schools is rooted in reality.
We invite you to check back regularly as we work to keep our community informed, engaged, and empowered with the truth.
Do you have a rumor that you would like clarified? Use this form to ask your question.
FAKE: The air conditioning at the high school is broken.
(Shared by: Anyone relying on rumors, headlines, or purposely shared disinformation without reading the communication directly from the district.)
FACT: This is False. The air-conditioning units work; however, they have not been turned on for the season.
Some of our facilities utilize large-scale industrial cooling systems that require several days to reach peak operational efficiency. Once these systems are engaged for the season, they are designed to run continuously; they cannot be easily cycled on and off to match daily temperature fluctuations.
While we are experiencing unseasonably warm weather this week (92 degrees in April), the forecast for next week indicates a return to significantly colder temperatures (a high of 46 with a low of 28 on Monday; with an average high of 62 degrees for the next two weeks).
To prevent the risk of frozen or compromised pipes and to ensure the long-term integrity of our infrastructure, in consultation with our Facilities and custodial teams, the district will not turn on the cooling units until the threat of freezing temperatures has passed.
Recently updated New York State law mandates that schools take mitigating action when classroom temperatures reach 82°F and requires students to be relocated from any space that hits 88°F. While our building temperatures were approaching these thresholds, we successfully maintained a safe environment by closely monitoring readings and remaining within the legal limits. Although we did not reach the mandatory relocation point, our team remained prepared to act immediately to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff.
New York State guidelines recommend that schools closely monitor the heat index and modify or restrict outdoor activities when temperatures (above 90°F–95°F) or humidity levels reach designated "caution" zones to prevent heat-related illness among students.
