Houston’s schools resumed classes on Thursday after a historic winter storm disrupted the area this week. However, several campuses in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) faced lingering challenges as they returned to full operations.
Three HISD schools—Love Elementary, River Oaks Elementary, and T.H. Rogers School—reported heating issues, requiring portable heaters to be set up in classrooms. T.H. Rogers, located in the Tanglewood area, is an alternative school serving both primary and secondary students, as well as students with disabilities.
During a live-streamed update, the district informed the public that some classrooms at the affected schools were not heating properly. Students were relocated to warmer parts of the buildings, and crews were dispatched to set up temporary heaters.
“Families of Love Elementary, River Oaks Elementary, and T.H. Rogers were notified this morning that not all rooms in their buildings were heating correctly. Students were moved to warmer sections of the schools, and portable heaters were installed,” the district explained.
Seventh-grader Sara Al Faisal, who attends T.H. Rogers, shared her experience, noting that while some classrooms lacked heat, the classrooms she was in were comfortable. “Some of the classes didn’t have heaters, like the library downstairs, but the classes I was in had heaters, and it was pretty warm,” she said.
Despite the disruption, many parents expressed satisfaction with how the situation was handled. Vhamu Ganumukkala, whose two children attend T.H. Rogers, acknowledged the inconvenience but appreciated the school’s efforts. “Though the heating isn’t working properly, at least they brought in heaters to make sure the kids are warm, so it’s all good,” she said.
Transparency from the school administration was also well-received. T.H. Rogers Principal Vashisht sent an email to parents updating them on the efforts to resolve the issue. “Contractors are actively working to install temporary heating units in the classrooms, and they are also on campus addressing the heating system. We want to assure you that all students are safely in the classroom, and instruction is proceeding as planned,” the email stated.
Sergio Velesco, another parent, expressed trust in the school’s communication. “They said everything was under control, so I trust that,” he said.
However, some parents voiced frustration over the timing of the issue. Sami Al Faisal, whose daughter is a student at T.H. Rogers, questioned why the problem wasn’t addressed during the school’s winter break. “I’m not sure if they weren’t ready—why bring the kids back to school when the morning was so chilly?” Al Faisal said.
This is not the first instance of HVAC issues at T.H. Rogers. Last August, the school’s air conditioning system failed, prompting concerns about the age and maintenance of the facility’s systems. Al Faisal commented, “They don’t spend enough money; the system requires not only maintenance, but also replacement.”
With temperatures expected to drop below freezing again on Friday, both students and parents are hopeful that the heating issue will be fully resolved. “Yeah, because it’s still cold and I can’t really take off my jacket or else it’ll get chilly,” said Al Faisal.
By Thursday afternoon, HISD reported that the heating problems had mostly been addressed at the three affected schools. However, as of 4 p.m. Thursday, portable heaters were still being used at T.H. Rogers. HISD has been contacted for further details on when the issue will be completely resolved.
