The last day of Boston’s elementary public schools was cancelled on Friday, leaving them short of the state mandated 180 days. But it’s all okay, said the state.
Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper sent a letter home to parents, stating that BPS consulted with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the city’s Transportation Department, and Boston Police, before deciding to close schools.
“Every day, BPS transports 23,000 students across our City. Given the expected crowds, road closures and detours for the parade route, and our scheduled half day coinciding with the parade times, there is no safe and reliable way to transport our students, especially our youngest learners and special education students, from their schools to their drop off sites,” wrote Skipper. “The increased traffic could mean students waiting for their bus hours after dismissal, being delayed on hot buses for hours without access to food and water or trying to commute home on the MBTA at the same time as the large anticipated crowds, posing major safety and operational concerns for our students and staff.”
For some students, teachers, and parents, there was a disappointment because they didn’t get to say goodbye to each other, or take home projects and personal belongings. With that in mind, schools like the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain are open on Monday from 9 am to noon to pick up belongings.
