Roofing, heating and cooling systems have been a topic at Freedom Area High School for years; whether this is rumors of air conditioning, roofing improvements or other school repairs. As the high school begins its endeavors in the new year, they have sought to resolve some of the discussed repairs in the school. 

For starters, the high school was looking to repair roofing. There were appliances on the roof that would continuously not function properly, which would cause classrooms to be subject to the harsh weather of the outdoors, especially during the winter months. One person that has stepped up to the plate in hopes of resolving these issues is the director of buildings and grounds, Mr. Gary Mortimer. For quite some time now, Mortimer has been trying to resolve issues with our roof to prevent drastic temperature changes in our classrooms, as well as open up a plethora of opportunities for other building improvements.

“For starters, the roof fixes will not actually fix the temperature conditions in the school themselves,” Mortimer said, “These fixes will act more as an envelope of other opportunities for future improvements for the building as a whole.”

Mortimer and his team work all throughout the day finding problems, devising techniques to eliminate them and then actually carrying out the mission. 

What exactly are these opportunities? Heating and cooling systems could be a future addition to the high school, but before that happens, the school needs to make sure that  the roof and other fixes are  intact. 

“The future plans for the building are not necessarily my line of work, but again, what we are working on opens up more possibilities to new systems,” Mortimer said. The future plans for the building may not be known to the general student body at this point in time, but there is at least hope for the future of our building. To even begin working on such procedures, the foundation must be laid down in a strong manner.

These possibilities, along with the current fixes with the roof, can directly affect the students in a major way. Updated heating and cooling systems will not only help the building maintain a stable temperature, but will also keep students comfortable as they try and complete their work throughout the day. 

“The temperature in our school is something that I have always noticed, and especially during the hotter months of the school year I find myself getting distracted from my work because I am trying to find a way to cool down,” junior Hayden Bender said. “I always wished we had air conditioning, but until that time comes, I am just going to have to deal with the cards I have been dealt.”