Lacking Heat, Abingdon Elementary School Closes Early

After a cold morning at Abingdon Elementary, the school closed for the afternoon, according to Harford County Public Schools.

The school system announced at approximately 1:05 p.m. that "due to a mechanical failure in the building, Abingdon Elementary will be closing at 1:30 p.m. today. The Y after care program will not be open, as the building will be shut down for repairs."

Children at Abingdon Elementary School had been bundled in their coats Monday, sources told Bel Air Patch, because the school did not have heat.

Facilities employees were on-site working to fix the problem at 12:40 p.m. Monday, when the heat was still not working, according to a receptionist at Abingdon Elementary.

"They were having some heating issues," Teri Kranefeld, spokeswoman for Harford County Public Schools, said. "They are working through a solution at this time."

It was approximately 45 degrees inside the school, according to parents.

Maryland was projected to receive an Arctic front Monday, the National Weather Service reported. The weather already had an effect on schools Monday morning, when schools started two hours later than usual.

Temperatures were in the upper 30s/low 40s in Abingdon on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which forecast a dive to -13 around midnight.

"Crews will continue to work on the system over night, and we will monitor the forecasted temperatures for tomorrow and the building conditions," according to the school system's statement Monday afternoon. "If a change in the schedule for tomorrow is necessary, we will send notification immediately."