Anderson High School students and staff were sent home early Tuesday after the campus HVAC chiller could cool only 40 percent of the building, leaving classrooms sitting in the low-to-mid-80s during another round of Central Texas heat. Buses began their routes early, departing at about 12:30 p.m., roughly 15 minutes after students and staff were officially released at 12:15 p.m.
Principal Brian Lancaster told families the decision came down to the chiller’s limited output, according to KVUE, which first reported the early dismissal. The station reported that Anderson’s main academic building experienced the most significant air-conditioning problems on campus, with classroom temperatures settling in the low to mid-80s — well outside the 72°F to 76°F range that Texas Administrative Code guidelines call for in occupied public school spaces during summer months.
Not every student had a ride waiting at 12:15 p.m. Those who couldn’t be picked up right away were allowed to wait in the air-conditioned performing arts center, and food service workers handed out to-go lunches for students who needed them, per the station’s report.
A New Breaker and a 400-Ton Fix, Installed Overnight
To get ahead of Wednesday, both the Austin ISD facilities maintenance team and the campus’s HVAC contractor shut off power to the building Tuesday to install a new breaker capable of supporting a 400-ton rental chiller, the outlet noted. That temporary chiller was expected to be installed overnight Tuesday and is intended to cool the entire Anderson campus and maintain comfortable spaces across the building on Wednesday while Austin ISD maintenance crews work to repair the school’s permanent HVAC chiller. School officials said they would provide families an update later Tuesday about what campus operations would look like Wednesday…