As I walk to my biology class, I prepare myself mentally and physically to head into the arctic tundra. I think warm thoughts while I slip on my parka to get ready for the low temperatures in the classroom.  Whether it’s hot and steamy or freezing cold, the temperatures in our school are quite unpredictable and hard to regulate. One period you could be in a freezing classroom and the very next you could be entering a sauna. Math teacher Mr. Surver at our school, has had past experiences with a very warm classroom. He jokes, “I often find that one day I’ll walk in and it’s like I’ve stepped into a wormhole and have been transported to Florida!” The fact of the matter is that our school seems to have a mind of its own when it comes to temperature in its classrooms.

So what exactly controls our temperatures, and why do they vary so much? I spoke with our schools building engineer, Jerry Christenson, about the wide range of temperatures in classrooms across our school and the cause. The temperatures in our school are controlled by two different computer systems called energy management systems.  Mr. Christenson said that, “if everything is working right, these systems work very well,” but often there are glitches which can cause varying temperatures.  The temperatures in our school often differ because there are lots of different heating and cooling systems, and some are really old and some are brand new. These systems all work at different rates, which can cause the extreme temperatures in our classrooms. We have two different types of heat systems in our school too, which can also cause temperature differences. One type is steam heat, which, according to Mr. Christenson, “heats up quickly but then needs to cool back down, since it often overheats.” The other kind is hot water heat which “heats up a bit slower but is steadier.” The temperatures are pretty random without any definite pattern in the wings of the building. But most students have noticed that the science silo is typically freezing, while the Spanish rooms are usually pretty hot. The bathrooms can’t seem to make up their minds either: There’s that one girls’ bathroom by the math rooms, commonly referred to as “HB” (Hot Bathroom), which is exceptionally steamy on most days.

Students at MHS have learned how to deal with the varying temperatures in our school in many ways. Taylor Hansen, a junior, says, “I always enjoy putting on my favorite fleece mittens during class when it gets a little bit chilly.” As for dealing with warm classrooms, Taylor will usually “fight to get a spot near the fan in [her] Spanish class.” My advice to MHS students is to dress in layers,  always be prepared to either spend class in a steamy sauna or a walk-in freezer because with the school’s crazy heating, you never know quite what to expect.