Balky boiler closes Algonquin school

Students at an Algonquin elementary school took an unplanned field trip to their local high school Thursday.

The roughly 575 students who attend Neubert Elementary School were bused to Jacobs High School when the grade school's boiler failed, causing the temperature to gradually drop until it was too cold to hold classes in the building.

Both the main boiler and a backup now have been fixed. Students will return to Neubert today, said Allison Smith, spokeswoman for Community Unit District 300.

"The heat has now been fully restored," Smith said. "Both boilers are working."

Neubert Principal Darlene Warner said she was made aware of the mechanical failure at 8:40 a.m., 25 minutes after classes started.

At 10:20 a.m., administrators decided to move Neubert students to Jacobs, where they were housed in the school's main gym.

In the gym, classes continued as usual and students were fed lunch in the high school commons.

At the end of the day, students who normally ride the bus were taken home from Jacobs, while students who are picked up or walk home were taken to Neubert.

After-school activities were canceled because administrators did not know if heat would be restored in time.

The two boilers were operating by 5 p.m.

Warner said she was impressed with how calmly and efficiently students and staff handled the situation.

"If there were ever a more severe situation, this was a great practice drill," Warner said.