Update on Powell Elementary School:
My team visited Powell again today to follow up on these issues and confirmed that the B Wing classrooms, cafeteria, and multipurpose room that were impacted by the HVAC failures last week are now cool and have A/C without relying on spot coolers or window units. There is a temporary fix to Powell's HVAC.
We had to track down the contractor to find out what the temporary fix was. They worked with the manufacturer to create a temporary desig...n for the missing part, which they then installed. This successfully activated the entire HVAC system so it reaches the rest of the building.
They've been testing the system all week and expect it to hold up until the permanent part is delivered/installed in September. Spot coolers are still in those rooms but they're off (not being used for cooling). They're just there as backup. Plus, all rooms have working HEPA filters.
The situation at Powell is not perfect. There are two new pre-K classrooms that were previously okay but now have HVAC issues. But spot coolers are in place, the temperatures are cool (73°), and HEPA filters are also working. Oh and the light in the lobby still needs to be fixed.
I'll keep working with agencies to prioritize these issues, and I'll be back on Monday for the start of school to assess progress. But based on our two follow-up visits this week the major issues I observed in my first tour of Powell were addressed and a permanent fix is coming.
I'm grateful to Petworth News, Powell Padres, and the school community for calling attention to this. It shouldn't take this long to make essential repairs in our schools. And it shouldn't take community pressure to address these issues. Not every school has a strong community voice to raise these flags. Also, we need clear communication and transparency from DC agencies so families aren't left in the dark.
