City Officials Explain School Opening Decisions
City officials say they took extra steps to make sure students made it to school safely.
Though some residents complained about the decision to re-open the Waltham Public Schools on Wednesday, Feb. 13, city officials say a “contingency plan” assured them having school was a safe decision.
The comments came in the wake of Waltham Patch users saying students fell at or near their ice-covered bus stops on Wednesday morning on their way to school. Overall, some parents felt the sidewalks were not yet safe for students to use, according to the comments.
Waltham Public Schools Superintendent Susan Nicholson, however, said she believes she made the right call in re-opening schools after three snow days. Nicholson said she and School Safety Officer Ann Frassica reviewed the city’s progress clearing sidewalks at around 4:30 a.m. and found “some progress” had been made. Some sidewalks, however, were still not clear, and Nicholson said she was concerned about several areas, including School Street.
At Nicholson’s request, the Waltham Police Department’s overnight shift was extended to assist students in getting to school. The overnight officers, as well as additional crossing guards, Nicholson said, were “strategically” placed at locations where snow and ice were still causing safety issues.
"Because of that plan, we felt we could open up school [on Wednesday]," Nicholson said.
As for delaying the decision on whether to re-open until around 5 a.m., McCarthy said, "Due to snow conditions, [plow crews] were not sure if they could finish [clearing schools/sidewalks] because it is taking them longer [than expected].”
City officials had said they would announce the decision to re-open by Tuesday at 6 p.m., but later in the day, McCarthy said the decision was pushed to Wednesday morning. Nicholson added she did not want to make the same “mistake” she said she made on Monday by first announcing schools would re-open on Tuesday, only to reverse the decision early Tuesday morning.
About the decision to close schools on Tuesday, Nicholson said there had been a plan to clear sidewalks by 4 a.m., but by that time, the walkways were still not clear.
"For the safety of our children, I could not open up the schools," Nicholson said.
Luis From Beantown, Ma
6:48 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
To be honest S. N. I think it would of been nice if it was this Thursday, since some of the side were NOT clean out yet, but with so much SNOW, there weren't not enough time to do so... So I was glad that there was NO major problem with the BUS STOP! Only to hear that a child slip on the ice, thank you for looking out for my child's...
Susan M.
7:50 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I am upset that I kept my 6th grade son home from school yesterday because of safety reasons due to lack of removal of snow. Now here we are Thursday 2/14, I had to watch my 5th grader walk onto Moody Street in order to get up to the Moody Spa where his bus picks him up for McDevitt. So I am asking NICELY, if sidewalks could PLEASE be plowed from the West Newton live down to Brasco's Funeral Home. This additionally snow day should not go against my son's attendance because of the lack of snow removal. It isn't so much the private plow drivers as I was speaking with a CLOSE friend from the City of Waltham street Dept and he said that they just don't have either the correct equipment or no equipment at all, very sad for a large city.
Matt Carter
10:59 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thank You Susan. Its true we do not have the adequate equipment needed at the DPW. You can thank the Mayor for that one. No funds for new equipment in years.
Matt Carter
11:02 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I also think they will be clearing Moody Street soon. Probably going to haul the snow away like they do after every big storm.
Sandy
7:51 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
We could all bring some sand or ice melt to the bus stop and shovels and do our part as parents too.
theclefe
10:59 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Oh Sandy. Why spend ten minutes shoveling when we could spend ten minutes on a blog comment? Think.
Noto Traffic
7:06 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I have done this before. I sent my son to the bus stop with 2 dixie cups full of ice melt to through down on his way so when he came home from school he may have a safe(er) walk home. My son's bus stop is way past Brandies almost in Weston and I call the Mayors office every storm (that amounts to something) and ask to please have the bus stop cleared.
Susan M.
7:52 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Sorry for miss spelling some words incorrectly but I am very upset!!!!!
Matt Carter
11:10 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
That's fine Susan. I have friends at the DPW too. They tell me the same thing. Have you ever gone to the back of the city yard? Looks like a bone yard back there with broken sidewalk plows, trucks and plows. For a city with 115 Miles of streets we only have (6) 6-wheel dump trucks (1 down possibly permanently), and a fleet of pickup trucks. Also they have 6 Sidewalk plows but only 2 or 3 are actually working. That's not adequate to clear 115 Miles of road. The Water Dept had to rent a Budget Truck recently to carry equipment because there truck broke down and there is no money to fix it. She has made are DPW look like a Joke. Positions are unfilled, they are understaffed and definitely under equipped. The even bigger Joke is the Mayor has a plan to replace equipment but its not even funded which means Waltham won't see a new truck until 2018!
Peter Colao
1:18 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I'm curious as to how many kids are hurt sledding on a day off compared to slipping at a bus stop.
NWBL
11:02 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Touche, Peter!