SIMI VALLEY : Schools to Replace Air Conditioning

Simi Elementary School, the oldest school in the Simi Valley Unified School District, will soon become the last to receive air conditioning.

And officials at the 18-classroom school, where some children have been known to cool themselves with spray bottles during the warm months, are happy.

“When it’s hot, youngsters complain about the heat instead of asking about their math,” Principal Leslie Frank said. “We’re real excited about it. It will allow us to invest more of our energy toward education.”

Recently recognized as a Ventura County landmark, the school was built in 1926 and expanded in the 1960s.

R.P. Richards Construction Co. of Goleta was awarded a $4.27-million contract at Tuesday night’s school board meeting to add or replace air conditioning and heating units at seven Simi Valley schools, including Simi Elementary. The money is part of a $35-million bond measure approved in March, 1989.

Work is scheduled to start at the beginning of summer vacation in June and finish before the school year starts in September, said Henry Needham, district coordinator of construction and environmental management.

Schools that will have their heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units replaced are Katherine Elementary School, part of Simi Valley High School, Valley View Junior High School, Garden Grove Elementary School, Crestview Elementary School and Sycamore Elementary School. All of the units are approximately 25 years old.

Valley View, Garden Grove, Crestview and Sycamore will also get new roofing.