With the cold temperatures that have struck Columbia hard, the administration has decided that a winter boiler was necessary. On Friday, Nov. 14, the school replaced the boiler to attempt to alleviate the low temperatures inside the school.
“Thursday will be similar to Wednesday.  The switch from old original boiler to new is moved back one day,” Assistant Principal of Operations Brian Gaub said.  “Friday afternoon and Saturday morning were  the cold periods.   We’ve asked people to move activities and practices away from those times if possible.  Performances like the musical can’t move, so we have area heaters in the dressing rooms.  The stage lights and crowd will help keep the PAC usable.”
Some students believe that the school has zones that are affected differently by the heating system. Sophomore  Becca Wells  thinks that the different temperatures across the school are hard to adjust to for students.
“For me, most B days the temperature can be bothersome,” Wells said. “As I have French those days and that classroom is incredibly cold. The temperature in the band room can also fluctuate quite a bit.”
As a member in RBHS Band, Wells had to come into school on the day which the boiler switch occurred, which was a teacher workday, because the band needed to practice that day.
“On Friday, Wind Ensemble rehearsed from 9-12, and again in the evening pit for the musical,” Wells said. “To stay warm I’ll most likely just bring an extra coat or sweater and carf, and of course wear long sleeves and pants.”
Additionally, some teachers have warmer rooms than others, which can cause a quick change in temperatures for students, which can be uncomfortable.
“I’ve noticed that often my room is much warmer than the rest of the school,” EEE teacher Kathryn Fishman-Weaver said. “When I spend a whole day in here, and then walk out into the hallway it feels terribly cold.”
While ultimately very little can be done about the heating zones in the school, students can dress in layers, which will cause them to be ready to respond to whatever temperature they face within the school.
“Areas will exterior doors and windows will be the most affected.  High ceiling areas (gyms, common spaces, etc….) will cool down more quickly than low ceiling classrooms,” Gaub said. “Having layers available is a good idea any time of year, even in the Summer.  Some air conditioned spaces feel cold in July.”
 
By Luke Chval
Photo by Sury Rawat