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East Haven Schools are Coping with the Cold

With daytime temperatures in single digits it’s been a cold winter season, and local parents have expressed concerns with heating issues at some of the town’s schools.

On Jan. 17, a problem with heating prompted an early dismissal at Joseph Melillo Middle School (JMMS). Principal Laura Lynn said the issue was resolved, there have been no further incidents, and the Central Office is seeking a permanent solution and has made replacing boilers a priority.

Interim Business Manager Richard Huot said the boiler’s circulator pump, which he suspects dates back to the original building, froze up and would not circulate the hot water needed to heat the building. Huot said the boilers each have approximately eight sections, all needed to heat the building.

“Over the past two years we have replaced three sections of the boilers and it was clear during that replacement the other sections were also failing,” Huot said.

Funding for new boilers was included in the Board of Education’s capital budget that’s being submitted to the town for consideration.

Parents of students at JMMS and other schools have taken to social media to share stories kids complaining of cold classroom temperatures and dress codes that don’t allow coats to be worn in class if the coat has a hood. Superintendent of Schools Erica Forti said the heat at schools is generally kept between 68 and 70 degrees. There is no formal policy on a minimum building temperature that would result in sending kids home from school early, but Forti said in a situation like what happened at the middle school, the temperature was deemed too cold, uncomfortable, and compromised the learning environment.

East Haven Academy also experienced a recent issue with a defective part causing low water in the heating system. Forti said the situation was quickly rectified and students were able to remain in school for the day.

Forti said “students were permitted and encouraged to wear their jackets and sweatshirts as we worked to restore the temperature.”