NewsRegionBaltimore City

Actions

Baltimore school gets new heating system with state funds

Posted at 2:59 PM, Dec 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-11 06:47:12-05

New Era Academy in Cherry Hill will not have to worry about the cold winter this year thanks to funding from the state. 

In January 2018, the Mayland Department of General Services was told to oversee the disbursement of $2.5 million from the state's Catastrophic Event Account to help Baltimore schools with their heating issues. 

Last year a photo went viral of students sitting inside of a city school with full winter coats, hats, gloves, and scarves on because it was so cold inside of their school. The freezing temperatures also caused multiple HVAC equipment and component failures which caused problems across the district. 

“General Services is pleased to have the opportunity to work with Baltimore City to address these issues,” said General Services Secretary Ellington Churchill. “Through our efforts, we were able to leverage resources to lower energy costs and reduce operation costs to ensure there is more funding for Maryland’s students.”

Now, the funding helped Ner Era Academy in Cherry Hill fund an entire boiler replacement. The project replaced its two boilers that were originally installed in 1954, with three new Smith Model 28HE-18 Cast iron Sectional Steam Boilers. The new boilers will increase efficiency and heat for New Era Academy as well as the neighboring school, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson Elementary/Middle School.

The Department of General Services reviewed 229 projects in 118 schools in Baltimore City during the last 10 months.