ASAN, Guam (August 20, 2026) - Commander William C. McCool Elementary/Middle School will remain closed Thursday\, Aug. 20\, due to continued maintenance and repair efforts on the school’s air-conditioning system.
Maintenance teams have made progress; however, troubleshooting efforts have not restored the reliable and consistent cooling capacity needed throughout the school before students and staff can safely return to campus.
Rear Adm. Brett Mietus, commander, Joint Region Marianas, convened leaders from JRM, Naval Base Guam, the Department of War Education Activity, and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Marianas on Wednesday to review the system’s status, coordinate troubleshooting efforts, and evaluate the path forward for repairs and instruction.
NAVFAC Marianas and NBG leadership are actively working to diagnose and resolve the issue. The cooling system presents a complex technical challenge requiring coordinated troubleshooting to identify the underlying cause and determine a reliable and lasting solution. Technical teams will continue troubleshooting the system and assessing conditions inside the building.
“The right technical experts and leaders are directly engaged, and we are applying every available resource to this problem,” Mietus said. “Our focus is finding a reliable solution that provides McCool’s students and staff with the environment they need to safely return to school.”
While troubleshooting continues, JRM and DoWEA are reviewing contingency options to minimize further disruption to students. Options under discussion include virtual instruction, use of an alternate location, modified school hours and hybrid or rotating attendance. No decision has been made.
“The safety, well-being and comfort of our students and staff remain our highest priorities,” said Dr. Jacob Sherwood, DoWEA Pacific West District superintendent. “We understand the inconvenience these closures have caused, and we are working closely with installation leadership to evaluate options that will allow instruction to resume in a safe and comfortable learning environment. We will communicate the plan to families as soon as a decision is made.”
Parents and guardians should continue monitoring email, Everbridge and the school’s official Facebook page for the latest information regarding school schedules and operations.
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| Date Taken: | 08.19.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2026 07:13 |
| Story ID: | 572723 |
| Location: | ASAN, GU |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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