Parents say Ridgely Middle School students are baking in their classrooms, while the school's PTA is fighting to cool them off.

"The bottom line is that our kids are coming home sick," Carolyn Cook, the parent of a Ridgely student, said at an April 28 County Council hearing on the county budget.

At the hearing, held in County Council chambers in the Old Courthouse in Towson, members of the Ridgley PTA Climate Control Committee stood and held signs that read "103° is NOT a learning environment."

Cook said students are coming home from school with nausea, aggravated asthma and even vomiting.

"Children sitting at their desk studying math should never have to worry about heat-related risks," she told the council.

Laurie Taylor-Mitchell, the parent of a former student, said that on some days last June, the heat index in some classrooms was measured from 105 to 108 degrees, with the air temperature in the mid-90s.

Late last month, when outdoor temperatures climbed into the low 90s, classroom temperatures began creeping up again.

"All second-floor rooms in the last two days have measured in the mid-80s to 90s," Taylor-Mitchell told the hearing.

Laura Mullen told the council that, unlike in some schools, people in other county buildings and "even inmates at the new state-of-the-art county facility" have air conditioning.

Over the past few years, Ridgley Middle underwent a $14 million renovation that included new ceilings, lights, doors and windows, but parents say the new windows are actually part of the problem.

The old windows could open 90 degrees outward, but the new windows -- designed with the idea that air conditioning would soon be installed -- open only 30 degrees inward.

"The ... renovation was set up for air conditioning, so the windows don't open much," Taylor-Mitchell said.

The school's renovation included upgrades such as ventilators in classrooms and energy-efficient windows with tighter seals.

However, the chillers required to make the air-conditioning system operational would cost around $900,000, and will be installed at a later date when the budget allows.

County Councilman T. Bryan McIntire, the lone Republican on the council, recalled the day County Executive Jim Smith announced millions to be spent on the school renovations and how air conditioning wasn't included.

"I thought then, and I think now, 'Well, isn't that foolish?' " McIntire said.

Parents say that since the renovation, temperatures in classrooms are generally 10 degrees higher than outdoor temperatures on warm days.

In March, Sen. Jim Brochin and delegates Susan Aumann, Bill Frank and Stephen Lafferty sent a letter to Smith requesting that an air-conditioning system be installed at Ridgely.

"We do not feel that this is a suitable learning environment for students in Baltimore County," the letter said.

Brochin, who represents Towson, Lutherville and Timonium, visited the school last June and said, "It was stifling hot in there."

"I can't imagine any kid can concentrate on learning anything," he said.

Kay Hardisky, Ridgely's PTA president and parent of a seventh-grader at the school, agreed. She told a reporter, "That's why we're here tonight, because it's down to Jim Smith."

Taylor-Mitchell said she called school officials in surrounding counties last fall to see whether or not they had air-conditioned schools. She said all Howard County public schools have air conditioning. She also found that all schools in Anne Arundel and Carroll counties are air conditioned, and 90 percent of Harford County's schools are as well.

The Towson Times contacted those counties, which confirmed her figures.

Meanwhile, 41 percent of Baltimore County's public schools have air conditioning in all classrooms, she said.

"We are decades behind the counties around us," Taylor-Mitchell said.

Ellen Kobler, spokeswoman for the county, confirmed that Smith has no plans to submit a budget supplement for air conditioning at Ridgely, but she noted Baltimore County has the second oldest "stock of schools" in Maryland, and said the county has been improving schools.

"Over the past six years, this (school) system has invested $1 billion in school renovation and construction," Kobler said.

Renovations have included upgrades such as new windows and doors, and began with special schools, then elementary and middle schools, she said.

County high schools are next in line for improvements, and only when that work is complete might the lack of air conditioning in county schools be addressed.

"Then, the school system has indicated that they would take a look at air conditioning," Kobler said.

McIntire said he's embarrassed on behalf of the county for not paying for the chillers while the renovation was being done at Ridgely in the first place.

"This is just the height of folly," he said.

The County Council is scheduled to vote May 21 on the 2010 county budget.

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user comments (4)

user involved says...

Ridgely Middle School is only one of the schools in this situation. Greater than 50% of Baltimore County Schools are not air conditioned. Many schools have received these same windows without getting air conditioned. Althoough I applaud the Ridgely Middle School parents, it is never fair when the "when the wheel that makes the most noise gets the grease." We need to have a comprehensive plan and lots of money to air condition all schools in Baltimore County. Until then the solution will be piecemeal. Since Councilman Gardina thinks that air conditioning is unnecessary. I wonder if Councilman Gardina's home, office and car are air conditioned? It is easy to be dismissive of hot classrooms over 90+ degrees where teachers teach and children learn if you are kept at a comfortable temperature at home, in transit and at work.

Posted 1:51 PM, 05.16.09

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user parentintowson says...

Thank you so much for this article, exposing the heat issues since the renovation at Ridgely Middle School! I wanted to respond to another reader who thought this situation wasn't unique to Ridgely. Ridgely actually IS in a unique situation. BCPS has been asked repeatedly if this new window style is being installed anywhere else and they have insisted it isn't. I think big lessons have been learned here: SCHOOLS THAT AREN'T AIR CONDITIONED NEED WINDOWS THAT OPEN. In Ridgely's case, the original plan called for air conditioning and the windows as designed were perfect. When air conditioning was cut due to budget concerns, no one thought to change the window plan. As a result, the classrooms are 5-10 degrees hotter than outside! In schools properly designed for no air conditioning, the inside temps should not be higher than outside temps since the goal is adequate airflow. It is very unfortunate that Baltimore County lags far behind all surrounding counties in air conditioning its schools and this is a real shame. This needs to change in a hot humid climate such as Baltimore. The situation at Ridgely is particularly bad due to lack of adequate airflow. I hope the County Executive will step in and fix it.

Posted 9:57 AM, 05.17.09

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user ridgelyparent says...

This problem IS unique to Ridgely. Ridgely is the only school that had new windows installed that do not open. They only slightly crack open. They are windows designed for a building with airconditioning. Our children are getting sick. The teachers and students of Ridgely are being forced to work in unhealthy conditions. This needs to be resolved as soon a possible. Jim Smith can fix the problem with $900,000 added to the budget.

Posted 4:08 PM, 05.17.09

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user ridgelyparent3 says...

I think all of us should keep our children home the next 90-95 degree day and every one thereafter. Speaking and complaining at board meetings has gotten this group nowhere. It's time for action.

Posted 12:32 PM, 05.19.09

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