At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board faced a mountainous challenge: the safety of everyone.

Thanks in part to federal-provincial funding, the Board got the support it needed to improve the air quality in several of its schools. It was a major accomplishment, as some of the older schools had never operated with mechanical ventilation. The funding was made available until the end of the calendar year, so the Board had to plan and act quickly. Adding to this challenge,

the Board didn't want to further disrupt the students' lives - they'd been through enough during the pandemic - which left only the summer months to complete the work.

At the same time, a different opportunity presented itself. With significant upgrades to ventilation already planned, the timing was right to trade the electric heating systems in some of the schools for a more cost-effective alternative.

Lastly, these schools needed a cooling solution, too. Opening a window might've helped in the past. With temperatures rising in the early and late school year, proper air conditioning was paramount to keep students and staff comfortable.