The following was released to all staff and families who have students attending Wake Forest Elementary School today: 

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Crossroads 1
5625 Dillard Drive
Cary, NC 27518
www.wcpss.net
tel: (919) 431-7400

Update on Boiler Replacement at Wake Forest Magnet Elementary

Dear Wake Forest Magnet Elementary staff and families,

We are writing to provide an update regarding the heating system serving part of our school.

Earlier this month, one of the school’s three boilers failed. This boiler serves the wing of our campus that houses our specials classrooms (Art, Music, Spanish and Mandarin), one Pre-K classroom and the gym. The other two boilers serving other areas of the school remain operational. However, there is no redundancy within this specific wing, meaning this boiler is the sole source of heat for that section of the building.

As soon as we reported the problem, our Facilities team worked with a contractor to diagnose the issue. They discovered a cracked heat exchanger within the boiler. After evaluation, the team determined that, given the age of the boiler and the extent of the damage, repairing the unit would be more costly and less reliable long-term than a full replacement.

The typical life cycle of a boiler is approximately 20 years. Across the district, we manage approximately 500 boilers. Capital replacement projects are prioritized based on age, condition assessments, safety considerations, and available funding. While this boiler was nearing the end of its useful life, several others across the district are older and in more critical condition and are addressed first as part of our long-range facilities plan.

Replacement of the boiler at our school will begin Monday and is expected to take approximately one week to complete.

We understand that this issue has been challenging as all students utilize this portion of our campus. During the installation process, we will continue to:

Monitor classroom and gym conditions closely.
Adjust schedules and utilize available spaces as needed to minimize disruption.
Explore temporary heating solutions where feasible.
We sincerely regret the inconvenience and disruption this situation has caused and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve it. We will provide confirmation once installation is complete or if there are any changes to the timeline.

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert P. Taylor
Superintendent, Wake County Public School System

Chell Smith
​​​​​​​Principal, Wake Forest Magnet Elementary School

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Thank you for standing with us and helping push for a swift resolution! Your advocacy truly makes a difference, and this outcome is proof of that.

Nicole Lewis

PTA President, Wake Forest Magnet Elementary School