Former Henrico teacher calls HVAC crisis 'unconscionable negligence' despite Superintendent apology

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Teachers and parents confronted the Henrico County Public Schools board over ongoing air conditioning problems, telling members that Superintendent Dr. Amy Cashwell's recent apology fell short and demanding greater transparency and accountability.

Cashwell highlighted progress the division had made addressing its HVAC crisis at a Sept. 10 school board work session.

"We've made dramatic progress compared to where we were with some of these challenges a few years ago," Cashwell said.

Thirteen days later, she issued a video apology to families and staff.

"Please know that I am sorry and that fixing these problems remain a priority," Cashwell said. "I share your urgency to make things right."

Lauren Galloway, a former teacher in the Tuckahoe District, told the board and Cashwell at its most recent meeting that she appreciated the apology but said it lacked accountability and only came after local news coverage exposed the problem.

"Thank you to our local news stations for their hard work uncovering the unconscionable negligence of this board, and our superintendent and her staff regarding the maintenance and upkeep of our school buildings," Galloway said.

As CBS 6 previously uncovered, as of Sept. 14 there were more than 600 open work orders related to HVAC issues in Henrico County schools, with the oldest dating back to Sept. 11, 2023.

Henrico County

Only six of them listed a completion date.

CBS 6 has been reporting on cooling and heating issues inside HCPS for more than a year.

Short Pump Elementary School parent Emily Walker described conditions inside school buildings.

"It was very stuffy and sweaty, like a sauna," Walker said.

Highland Springs High School teacher Patrick Miller was asked whether it was fair to make staff work in hot conditions.

"No, it is not," Miller said.

Galloway asked board members whether they had visited schools and sat in impacted classrooms for a full school day.

She also scolded board Chair Madison Irving for suggesting the division was looking forward rather than back.

"We don't want to hear your performative positivity or your excuses. We cannot look forward as you say Mr. Irving, until accountability has been taken. You all are acting like this is brand new information, and it is being handled with due haste, enough," Galloway said.

"This has been a years long issue and until you acknowledge that admit that it has been poorly handled by you we cannot trust anything you say," Galloway said.

Emily Lancaster, a former Teacher of the Year from Skipwith Elementary — which has endured persistent HVAC issues for more than a year that forced students to relocate to makeshift classrooms in the gym — alleged HCPS leadership does not value its teachers.

"You can build fancy new schools, you can post on social media, you can do everything you can to make yourself feel better, but if you valued your teachers you would hear them when they tell you that something is wrong, whether it's the HVAC, the overuse of technology the literacy curriculum, the lack of support with behaviors, the class sizes, I could go on and on," Lancaster said.

Parent Jesse Walsh, whose husband is an HVAC master technician, told the board she expected more transparency about problems and solutions.

"HCPS should be a leader in handling these issues not average, I'm asking the school board to continue to ask questions, push for transparency and communication and make sure the plan presented by the COO is followed through with, and I won't be intimidated into being quiet about this," Walsh said.

Board Chair Madison Irving responded to Galloway's criticism, saying he understood her frustration.

"I understand well the frustration that Ms. Galloway is feeling. It can be frustrating to teach and learn in an environment that is hotter than ideal. I can fully relate to this, myself, as I have had many days throughout my teaching career in which I've had to teach in conditions that were much hotter than is reasonable and expected," Irving said.

Irving said the board has made historic investments to address the ongoing HVAC issues.

"Over the past two and a half years alone we have spent approximately $26 million on fixing, replacing and overhauling systems around the county," Irving said.

Irving pushed back on the suggestion that the board's urgency on HVAC issues was driven by news coverage.

"It would be incorrect to say that this urgency only arose due to local news coverage highlighting these challenges. This has been a paramount concern of this board and continues to be a primary focus, as evidenced by annual CIP planning and budgeting meetings — which are all accessible on the School Board webpage," Irving said.

Irving said the board received an operations update in June that highlighted HVAC and mechanical challenges from the previous year and the need for continued action. He also credited increased funding from the Board of Supervisors for recent progress.

"Much of the new progress has been made due to this increased funding. As I, and my colleagues, stated during the September 10th meeting, we are grateful for the fiscal commitment and support this Board of Supervisors has made, which occurred prior to any of the local media coverage," Irving said.

Irving said he believes the division has a plan in place to address the issues.

"I believe the division, as outlined by Mr. Dunaway and Dr. Cashwell, have a plan in place to ensure that we get to where we need to be, which is providing a top flight learning and working environment for our students and staff. We as a board are committed to accepting nothing less," Irving said.

Vice Chair Ryan Young, the Fairfield District representative, said he respects Galloway's right to speak about her experiences and acknowledged the need for results.

"Students and staff deserve classrooms where they can learn and work comfortably. I understand why people want to see results, and that is where my focus is," Young said.

Young said he has visited most schools in his district this year, including classrooms, but acknowledged the limits of those visits.

"I have not spent a full eight-hour day in one of the affected rooms. I recognize that a visit cannot capture everything students and staff experience throughout the day, but seeing the conditions firsthand helps me ask better questions and follow up," Young said.

Young said the board has worked to increase funding each year during his three years on the board and that he will continue following up on repairs.

"We have to acknowledge the problems while we work on solutions. During my three years on the School Board, we have worked with our partners on the Board of Supervisors to increase funding each year. Now we need to make sure those investments lead to reliable systems and better conditions in our schools," Young said.

"The division has laid out its plan, and I will continue following up on repairs and asking whether conditions are improving for students and staff. I have confidence in Chief of Facilities Greg Dunaway and Superintendent Amy Cashwell to continue making this a top priority," Young said.

Board member Kristi Kinsella, the Brookland District representative, pushed back on characterizations of the board's response, saying she takes exception to what she called "misinformation" about the board's handling of the issue.

"HVAC repair and maintenance have been a priority and ongoing conversation for my entire tenure on the school board. The school board has requested increased funding for at least my seven years on the board, and we continue to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors to make the best use of all funding streams," Kinsella said in an email responding to questions from CBS 6.

Kinsella said her previous comment about being in a "better position" was tied to funding commitments made over the past three school years.

"The school board and board of supervisors committed to significant additional funding to address immediate needs and greater expediency in completing HVAC preventative maintenance and planned system replacements in the CIP. Additionally, the division is clearly taking a more strategic approach to both preventive and urgent maintenance, as detailed in Mr. Dunaway's recent presentation," Kinsella said.

On the question of visiting schools, Kinsella said she regularly visits for events and to observe teaching and learning, but said her visits this school year have not been specifically focused on HVAC issues.

"I am mindful my presence is often a distraction to teaching and learning. This school year, my visits have not been specifically related to HVAC issues, and I intentionally limited visits while schools adjusted to the new staggered start and are in the early stages of building routines and relationships," Kinsella said.

Kinsella also expressed support for Cashwell's leadership.

"This school board, Dr. Cashwell and her administrative team put the students and employees of this division first in all decision-making. Daily operations are the purview of the superintendent, and I want to express support for Dr. Cashwell and my faith in her leadership. Leading a large school division through complex challenges is not easy, and while there may be differing opinions about decisions or communications along the way, I believe she is committed, as is the board, to serving our students, staff, and families and to addressing the issues that have been raised," Kinsella said.

Board member Marcie Shae also responded to an email from CBS 6, noting she is currently volunteering as a physics teacher at a high school in her district that had an unexpected opening before the school year started.

"This year, I am in the classroom all day, every day," Shae said.

Shae said she addressed the HVAC situation at the Sept. 10 board meeting.

"What I am hearing from our reports is that things have changed: systems have changed — how we dovetail old and new whether it is the physical systems or the monitoring them — equipment supply and staffing supply have changed, and so we also as a division need to change how we respond to that. We can't be static but need to look at it through new lenses and change how we approach things," Shae said.

"It is my expectation that the revised oversight structures developed by our new COO, the new contracts for preventative maintenance with outside vendors that went into effect Sept. 1, alongside the continued work of facilities teams will yield a significant improvement in temperature regulation in our buildings," Shae said.

"The board will continue to ask for updates and transparency as we navigate this," Shae said.

HCPS spokeswoman Eileen Cox said the division appreciates those who share their personal experiences and noted that Cashwell has spoken publicly about the HVAC challenges on multiple occasions, including at the Aug. 27 and Sept. 10 school board meetings.

Cox said the division believes broader context is important for families and staff to understand.

"It is also important, however, for families and staff to have context related to local and national challenges because it is relevant to supply chain demands and staffing shortages," Cox said.

Cox also pushed back on the suggestion that news coverage prompted the division's response to HVAC issues, saying the collaborative work between the school board and Board of Supervisors to address aging school buildings predates recent reporting.

"Both boards review annual Capital Improvement Program plans and, in fact, try to forecast projects 10 years out to reduce system and financial strains," Cox said.

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