Open Letter from Harvard Elementary PTA

August 23, 2024

Dear Harvard Elementary School Community,

As President of the Harvard Elementary PTA, I am reaching out to address the ongoing HVAC

issues that have impacted our school. It is important to clarify that the purpose of this letter is not

to place blame but to focus on the facts and work collectively toward a solution that ensures our

children's health, safety, and educational well-being.

The Facts:

• Recurring HVAC Problems: Harvard Elementary has been plagued by HVAC issues for

several years. These problems have included both a lack of air conditioning in the summer

and insufficient heating during the winter months. This is not a new issue but rather a

recurring one that has yet to be permanently addressed.

• Current Conditions: Some classrooms are still too hot, and certain classrooms are above

appropriate and acceptable heat tolerances as early as the first hour of instruction. Our

dedicated teachers and the school administrations have been relocating these classrooms to

cooler areas. These temporary measures are not a sustainable solution and do not provide

a conducive learning environment for our children. The solution cannot be to endure the

present state until cooler temperatures set in later in the fall. We have received reports that

the temperature is negatively impacting the health and safety of teachers, as well.

• Leadership and Communication: We are incredibly grateful to our principal, Dr. Shelby

Calabrese, who has done an excellent job keeping parents informed under challenging

circumstances. Unfortunately, the HISD’s communication has not met the level of

transparency and responsiveness that we believe is necessary in a situation of this nature.

Nor has the practical response to the circumstances.

Our Request:

We are calling on the district to hold a community meeting with adequate notice to discuss the

HVAC issues at Harvard Elementary. We ask for clear and transparent communication regarding

the challenges we face, the steps being taken to resolve them, the solutions explored to date, the

expected timeline, and any uncertainties that may remain.

The Harvard Elementary community is committed to being part of the solution. Schools represent

a social contract between the community and the district: we contribute our resources and entrust

our children to the public school system with the expectation that they will be educated in a safe

and conducive environment. Right now, that social contract is broken.

We urge the district to take swift action and to work with us in restoring our school's learning

environment to one that supports the success and well-being of all students. Thank you for your

attention to this matter, and for your continued support of our school community.

Sincerely,

Anar Abasov

President, Harvard Elementary PTA