MINOT – Unseasonable freezing temperatures combined with a broken furnace sent students home from school early Wednesday.

The K-8 Minot Consolidated School is expected to re-open as usual today, said principal Margaret Pitts.

Wednesday morning head custodian Ray Files noticed the school’s furnace was not working, and that some rooms were not heated as they should be. The gym was one of the rooms cooling off.

“We have five classrooms with propane heat, but we can’t get all 274 students in those five classrooms,” Pitts said.

After repairmen examined the furnace, they determined it would have to be shut down to repair. “We knew it wasn’t going to get any warmer,” Pitts said. At 10:30 a.m. it was decided to close the school at noon, after students ate lunch.

Parents and other interested parties were notified after Pitts used an automatic computer system. “The minute I hit save and send, the computer let everybody know,” Pitts said.

Buses delivered students home, but no child was dropped off if no one was home, Pitts said. “Our bus drivers don’t ever drive away from the house if no one’s home on a day like this,” she said. “It’s really cold.”

The school did not entirely cool off when students were inside. “The lowest the temperature got was 60,” said School Union 29 Operations Director Pat Boure. He attributed the problem to both the weather and an old furnace. “The air is so cold the furnace was more stressed.”

– Bonnie Washuk