The steam heat system that was installed when Helena High was opened in 1955 is almost obsolete. There are very few HVAC technicians in the greater Northwest region who can service it.   

In order to keep the current Helena High building functional, the steam heating system would need to be converted to a hot water system. That means replacing brittle old pipes that are encased in concrete and wrapped in asbestos. 

That leaves our community with three choices:  

1. Seek a construction bond to build a new Helena High, build a new Kessler elementary and bring Capital High up to 21st Century standards.
2. Seek a construction bond to replace the HHS boiler with a hot water heat system. This option is problematic on two fronts: 
   – The latest cost estimate for conversion to a hot water heat system is $15 million, which would require the district to ask voters to pass a bond. The money would be spent to install the new HVAC system in a building that is already substandard.
   – This HVAC project would take five summers if students were to remain in the building. In the meantime, we would have to cross our fingers that the current boiler continues working. The alternative would be to complete the HVAC project in a year and a half, during which time all high school students would attend split shifts at CHS.
3. The final option is to do nothing and wait for the HHS boilers to fail, forcing all students to attend CHS on split shifts.