Out in the cold: students, teachers complain of heat problems at Hutchinson Elem.

Both parents and teachers are fed up at a Detroit elementary school. They say kids are bundling up not just for the trip to and from school, but during school as well.

Hutchinson Elementary School on the city's east side has been in session for the past few days, some of the coldest of the year. That's despite the building having heat problems. According to the school and some parents, students are having to layer up, just to get through the day.

"They come home complaining how cold it was in school how they have to keep coats on." Sakina Smith's children attend Hutchinson. She said her kids have started coming up with runny noses from the cold temperatures. "My kids have asthma and it's real easy for them to get sick and my two youngest have come home with runny noses."

The principal of Hutchinson says issues with heat inside this building are not new. Principal Stanley Johnson blames computers that have fallen into disrepair.

"It's been a problem since two schools merged. The building is designed to run without an engineer but the system here runs off computer and there have been so many things neglected over the years that either the classrooms are too hot it too cold." Johnson said.

In fact, Johnson says it's even a challenge for staff to teach in this environment. He said one teacher called out sick on Wednesday because when she left Tuesday, her hands were 'ice cold'.

School officials tell us that they are working with contracors who are onsite and are doing what is needed to get the situation rectified. The school district released this statement to FOX 2:

"It was determined that the school has some cold spots in a small number of classrooms that are being addressed. Operations will work over the next two weeks to make any necessary repairs."

During the wait, Johson says he's prepared to keep his students and staff as warm as possible.

"I bought space heaters for classrooms. Got another 15 ordered which will knock chill off the room."