Westport Public Schools were open on time today, after a 12-day hiatus due to a professional development day, winter break, and 2 blizzard-related cancellations.
It did not go well. A dawn snowfall made driving and walking treacherous.
Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice has done something rare in the school cancellation/delay/carry-on-as-usual world: He has taken ownership for the decision.
And apologized. He says:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I regret not calling for a delay, and the resulting difficulty and hardship this caused many of our families, faculty, and staff.
While I rely on professional guidance to inform these early-morning calls, the responsibility is mine.
This morning’s drive to school. (Photo/Dayle Brownstein)
Some families have asked what information I had at 4 a.m., so I want to share it to give context of the decision-making, not to offer excuses. The responsibility for the call is mine.
At that time, our consulting meteorologist indicated that data suggested the likelihood of a coating to 1 inch of snow along the shoreline, which led to regular openings for all neighboring shoreline districts.
In addition, Public Works expressed a high level of confidence that roads had been heavily salted over the past several days and crews were prepared. Based on this information, I made the decision to start on time.
Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
In hindsight, a 2-hour delay would have been the better decision for students, staff and families. I am sorry for the difficulty this caused, particularly for those who experienced challenging travel conditions, and for the buses that missed stops or ran excessively late.
I want to thank everyone who stepped in across the district to support student arrivals and classrooms as faculty arrived. I also want to thank our buildings and maintenance teams for clearing and salting our lots, and our bus drivers for their professionalism this morning.
Thank you for your patience, your partnership, and for taking care on the roads today.
