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Board unanimously approves ERV and boiler replacements, NCDOT design contract and five class‑size waivers
Summary
On March 31 the board approved multiple facilities contracts — ERV replacements at Atkins and Reagan High Schools, an emergency boiler replacement at Winston‑Salem Prep, and an NCDOT‑funded carpool design for West Forsyth — and granted five class‑size waivers; all votes were unanimous.
The Winston‑Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education voted unanimously on March 31 to approve a slate of facilities contracts and five class‑size waiver requests.
Contracts approved included: - A contract with Associated Heating and Air Conditioning to replace an ERV at Atkins High School. Board discussion noted these ERV units were original to the school build, have required frequent repairs and some are approaching 20 years in service; staff said the contractor's price was fixed as bid design work was completed in 2024. - A contract with Professional Air Systems to replace the Reagan High School ERV system; board members asked whether alternatives to ERVs are viable for retrofit projects and staff said alternatives are primarily an option for new construction. - An emergency boiler replacement contract with Commercial Air Systems for Winston‑Salem Prep. - A design contract with Westcott Small & Associates (NCDOT funded) for West Forsyth High School car pool improvements.
The board also approved class‑size waiver requests for Brunson, Caleb's Creek, Piney Grove, Southwest and Byana elementary schools. Staff explained waivers are commonly requested late in the year when one or two incoming students require reconfiguration; principals may request a waiver to avoid creating a new class and disrupting established student‑teacher routines. Staff said state deadlines include an April 1 filing window and there is a fall option for different circumstances.
All action items on the amended agenda passed unanimously. Several board members asked follow‑up questions about ERV life expectancy, bundling bids for potential savings, and whether projects could be staged to reduce summer timeline pressure; staff replied that separate bids can increase contractor opportunities and that some installation steps must occur over the summer while school is out.
Why it matters: The facilities contracts address systems that staff said have been a recurring source of repairs, and the waivers preserve classroom stability for students late in the school year — both operational decisions with direct classroom impact.
Next steps: Contractors will proceed per their signed contracts and staff will manage project scheduling (many HVAC projects are staged to avoid work while students are in sessions). The board’s next meeting is April 14, 2026.
Speakers quoted or paraphrased in this article are listed in the article’s speaker roster below.
