Rumors cleared about lack of heat at Bellefonte school

The heat in Bellefonte Elementary School never stopped running Wednesday, according to district administration.

In fact, temperatures in the facility are generally between 68 and 72 degrees during winter months or days when the outside temperate drops.

But on Thursday, several parents of students at the school contacted the CDT, and some took to social media alleging the school left their children without heat when outdoor temperatures dipped into the teens.

Bellefonte Area Superintendent Cheryl Potteiger said the accusations stemmed from a YMCA after-school program that serves about 45 students at the building.

“We had people complaining, and parents were told by different people there was no heat in the gym for the program,” Potteiger said. “That led to them being under the impression that there was no heat in the building. That’s not really what happened.”

Students in the program participate in numerous activities in the gymnasium where temperatures were as low as 63 degrees Wednesday afternoon, Bellefonte YMCA child care Director Heather Heckman said.

Potteiger said that was likely due to the opening and closing of doors in the vicinity that transferred in cool air from outside.

She also added that the building is 75 years old and isn’t energy efficient.

“When that happens, it gets colder, but we never stopped running the heat,” Potteiger said.

Heckman said a technician was called to the school to do an adjustment, which increased the gym temperature to 68 degrees.

“Technicians did (an) adjustment in intake, so that seemed to help,” Heckman said.

Principal Karen Krisch said the normal temperature in the building ranges from 68 to 72 degrees, but has the potential to drop when cool air blows in from outside when people enter and exit adjacent doors.

Those nearby doors lead outside.

Potteiger said she didn’t know who was responsible for providing misinformation.

This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Rumors cleared about lack of heat at Bellefonte school."