An unexpected HVAC issue forced Bellevue to announce Tuesday that school wouldn’t begin Wednesday as anticipated — it informed parents that the first day had been pushed back until Monday, Aug. 18.
The delay affects all schools in the Bellevue Independent district.
Superintendent Misty Middleton announced on a social media post that the delays were due to problems with district HVAC systems.
“A functional and comfortable climate is essential for effective teaching and learning,” Middleton writes. “More importantly, your child’s safety and well-being remain our highest priority, and we do not feel it is appropriate to bring students into a building where conditions are less than ideal.”
Middleton goes on to apologize for the inconvenience this may cause for district families. She adds that “the chiller is up and running as of 2:00 today [Tuesday], but some issues must be resolved” before she would be confident of allowing students onto school grounds.
The district said it would update parents with any future developments.