Hot days at School (Ewa Beach, Kailua: homes, middle schools, square footage)

[TeardropTir]

Hello !
Which elementary and middle schools have A/C?
We anticipate moving from TX to Oahu in mid October, and because of Houston weather we rely on A/C.
I have a kindergartener, a 3rd grader, and 8th grader, who will be transitioning to the island lifestyle.
I want to alleviate as much transitioning as possible, without having record heat and school hot days irritating my 5 yr old's terrible eczema (from allergens).
I am not too proud to call around but I was hoping someone might know these types of details ... Thx!!
Mililani is my preferred area, for various reasons, and possibly Ewa Beach.

I appreciate any advice you can give me!
Mahalo !!
T

[thejackalope]

Virtually none of them has AC. This is a controversial issue now because parents are finally getting angry that their kids are forced to sit in 100F classrooms and run the risk of heat stroke. If I were you, I would not choose to move to Oahu.

[TeardropTir]

Thank you for your reply. I've noticed the issue, from the news headlines, that stated 90% of schools were without A/C.
I believe that this issue is a very important distraction for our youth, and the climate changes will continue to affect the administration and students, from now on. I have high hopes for positive change for the locals.
However, I can not say that these A/C issues will halt the relocation.

I'll continue to review the very resourceful forum.

Again, thank you for your response!

[thejackalope]

Even in nice suburban areas the schools don't have AC. A teacher measured the temperature at 108F. Temp inside Kailua classroom measured 108 degrees - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

It's not a comfort or a learning issue. It's a safety issue. They're putting students in heat stroke conditions every single day. That has to have permanent impact on their brains far beyond just being a distraction. 80F would be distracting. 90F is dangerous. 100F is way way beyond dangerous.

[whtviper1]

I think the radio said just this morning (8/13) 92% of classrooms don't have AC - We don't need freaking AC!!!!!!! Want AC - try private school.

With No ACs And Record High Temps, Hawaii Schools Consider 'Heat Days'

"Punahou High School, the private school in Hawaii that President Barack Obama attended, has air conditioned classrooms. The units were purchased through fundraising, but the school's $22,050 annual tuition pays for the operating costs, said Laurel Husain, spokeswoman for Punahou."

[hotzcatz]

Waimea on the Big Island, Volcano and Mountain View don't need A/C because of the elevation. Not all school buildings absolutely need A/C, but a lot of them could definitely use it.

Some of the portable buildings could be cooled with an affordable window unit, but the planning people get themselves distracted by the units they can't afford to cool and forget that there are some they could. It would be too expensive to cool them all, no doubt, but they could do some at least, you'd think.

[Jungjohann]

Given the decreasing prices in solar panels, and the amount of square footage on the average school building, along with the fact that the sunniest areas are also the hottest, one would think that covering every school building in the state with 250-350 watt panels would be a no-brainer.


Think I just answered my own question. Uuurrrrpppp.....

[thejackalope]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Waimea on the Big Island, Volcano and Mountain View don't need A/C because of the elevation. Not all school buildings absolutely need A/C, but a lot of them could definitely use it.

Some of the portable buildings could be cooled with an affordable window unit, but the planning people get themselves distracted by the units they can't afford to cool and forget that there are some they could. It would be too expensive to cool them all, no doubt, but they could do some at least, you'd think.

No, you can't use a window unit to cool a whole portable building full of 30 students. And even if you could, there would be zero ventilation because those units don't cycle air. You need real HVAC units.

[thejackalope]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

Given the decreasing prices in solar panels, and the amount of square footage on the average school building, along with the fact that the sunniest areas are also the hottest, one would think that covering every school building in the state with 250-350 watt panels would be a no-brainer.


Think I just answered my own question. Uuurrrrpppp.....

You need way more than 300W to cool a classroom

[TeardropTir]

You’re correct @thejackalope, and by distraction, I mean “distraction” leading to various impairments. I certainly empathize with the parents and for the youth. If there was anything I could do to help advocate from 4,000 miles away, right now, I’ be open to listening to your ideas. At this time, I greatly appreciate the input, as mainlanders, such as myself, we do not realize that HVAC systems weren’t a priority in the schools, and 90%+ of schools do not have AC. I can understand that some may feel not all of the buildings need it. And because a relocation is still in my families best interest, I want to thank you for the opportunity to allow me to use this forum as a resource to help us transition. Whether good or bad, the only options I can think of, where the HVAC issue is a concern, are: 1) go to public schools with no a/c and hope for the best, 2) go to a private school, where tuitions support the electricity and/or HVAC systems, 3) homeschool our kids, 4) or NOT go to Hawai’i. Am I missing any alternative?