DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Allen Y. Lew, Executive Director of the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM), announced today at H.D. Woodson Senior High that all DC Public Schools have heat at the official start of the heating season.  

This achievement stands in stark contrast to the boiler problems experienced last year when heat was unavailable at Woodson and many other schools.  Nearly half of the schools in the system (70) experienced heating problems due to dysfunctional boilers, freezing pipes that were poorly maintained and other issues.

As part of the heating initiative all schools received intensive work on boilers and other heating system components over the last several weeks and each facility has been inspected by the DC Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).  Seven of the schools had such extensive repair needs that they have been outfitted with temporary boilers.  These schools will need to be re-inspected after the permanent boilers are installed.

“The fact that we are holding a press conference to announce that all schools have functioning boilers speaks to the depth of the problems this system has faced.  Fundamental requirements like heating should be a given, and not an option,” said Mayor Fenty.  “I want to thank our new Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization for making certain that the heating systems are in working order.  Let me also thank DCRA and their inspectors for working nearly round the clock last week to inspect each school.”

Work crews repaired or replaced boilers at 144 school facilities for which there are over 400 boiler units.   In addition, due to years of deferred maintenance, the distribution systems require much more servicing and balancing.  Each system will be fine-tuned, including new vents and replacing broken thermostats.  This ongoing work will continue to be performed after school hours and on weekends to limit any disruption to classroom instruction.  

“The heating initiative builds on the work our team performed this summer to get schools ready for opening.  The main purpose of the initiative was to ensure, by the beginning of the heating season on October 15th that each school in the DCPS system is capable of providing heat to all the classrooms.  I’m proud to say we’ve accomplished this goal,” said Lew.

OPEFM has instituted a routine maintenance program so that all heating systems will be inspected, serviced and repaired on a routine basis.  “It’s no longer business as usual,” said Lew.

In addition, the Mayor announced that the design for the new H.D. Woodson Sr. High School will be completed in time for a ground breaking ceremony expected to take place before June 30, 2008.  The new school will be a true center of community learning and a showplace for technological and environmental integration on par with the best new schools in the nation.

“As DC moves fully into the modernization program we do so fully cognizant that we must be good stewards of District resources.  I have asked the architects to design a building that will not only meet the test of time but to create a place that our children wake up eager to attend,” said Lew.

The heating initiative was the first phase of the $120 million Stabilization Program which was announced several weeks ago.  The full program also includes air-conditioning repairs at all schools as well as completion of all open work orders.   While this work varies at each school, general repairs include lighting, windows, corrections to code violations, plumbing, roof repairs and work to comply with ADA accessibility regulations.