Chippewa Falls adds temporary air conditioning units to two schools

Multimedia Journalist

CHIPPEWA FALLS (WQOW) - Kids in the Chippewa Falls School District will find some relief from the heat this fall with the help of new air conditioning units.

Hillcrest and Jim Falls Elementary Schools will both have air conditioning units after several parents raised concerns about hot classrooms.

As we've previously reported — students, parents and the school board discussed air conditioning solutions in July.

Chad Trowbridge is the Chippewa Falls School District Business Manager. He said Hillcrest Elementary will rent "Spot Coolers" for a cost of about $14,000 a month.

He added the units are not a permanent solution.

"Is it as good of a solution as a centralized air unit? Absolutely not but it will provide some temporary relief on some of those extreme days," Trowbridge said.

Hillcrest was not the only school that will see relief. Jim Falls Elementary received ten window units for a price tag of about $4,000 to help cool its building.

Trowbridge said the district has not done anything in the past to address hot classrooms in those two schools but says other buildings have been updated with cooling renovations.

He said the district is planning to find a long-term solution. He added the units are scheduled to be used for about a month until the weather cools down.

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Multimedia Journalist