Wake County schools face HVAC problems at Cary and Apex campuses

Cooling systems faltered at Reedy Creek Middle School in Cary and Salem Elementary School in Apex as temperatures climbed into the mid-90s, forcing Wake County schools to manage a hot-day disruption in real time. District officials said no students or staff members became ill, but the episode still raised the immediate question of whether classroom comfort would give way to schedule changes, dismissal decisions, or other interruptions.

The problems were limited to those two campuses, not a systemwide shutdown, but they landed in two of Wake County’s fastest-growing communities, where families have grown used to hearing about building repairs almost as often as academic plans. Wake PTA president Marie Dexter said parents want more transparency about which schools will get HVAC upgrades and when those repairs will happen, a sign that the issue has become as much about communication and trust as mechanical failures.

The latest breakdowns fit a pattern that has dogged Wake County schools for months. In August 2025, the district had already logged 46 early dismissals the prior school year because of HVAC issues. About one in three Wake County schools, roughly 80 campuses, had lost at least one day of school time to HVAC problems over the previous two years, and about 520 air-conditioning units needing replacement were more than 15 years old, some older than 20. The district has estimated it would cost more than $200 million to replace all aging HVAC systems.

Wake County Public School System leaders have also been describing a much wider facilities burden. In February 2026, officials discussed heating and cooling replacement projects at nearly 20 schools, and Tony Champion said those projects would be under construction, or at least in construction, by March 10, 2026. Mark Strickland said the district had identified life-cycle needs of between $600 million and $800 million over the previous six to 12 months, with the backlog extending beyond HVAC to roofs, windows, tracks and sidewalks. Crews had replaced 21 chillers so far in the current fiscal year, compared with 160 over the previous 10 years.

The maintenance problem has also become a fiscal and political test for county leaders. Wake NCAE and parents pressed for spring budget funding in 2025 and looked ahead to a 2026 bond for repairs, while teachers later urged Wake County commissioners to consider increasing a proposed nearly $700 million bond to $1.5 billion. Tuesday’s heat-related scare at Reedy Creek and Salem showed how quickly deferred maintenance becomes a classroom issue, and how much pressure remains on Wake County to decide which schools get fixed first.