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Superintendent apologizes for mistaken snow-day call, promises clearer process and follow-up
Summary
Wachusett Regional School District Superintendent Dr. Riley said he accepts responsibility for a ‘wrong’ snow-day decision that left buses on unsafe roads. He promised improved coordination with town DPWs and bus contractors, a public explanation of the decision process and a committee follow-up report.
Superintendent Dr. Riley acknowledged responsibility for a mistaken snow-day decision at the Wachusett Regional School District Committee meeting on Jan. 12, saying the district should have delayed or closed schools after conditions deteriorated and that a bus incident that day, while not causing injuries, reinforced the need for change.
"Ultimately, those are decisions that I am responsible for," Dr. Riley said, adding that he regretted the outcome and did not want to shift blame. He described the district's current practice — consulting town DPWs, monitoring neighboring districts via a listserv and using a weather service — and said the process produced a call that became unsafe as conditions "progressively got worse."
Dr. Riley said the district is reviewing its timeline for making calls, particularly the practice of making final announcements between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m., and will build in flexibility for later "late calls" when conditions evolve. He also committed to meeting with town public works departments and the bus company, sending targeted feedback to transportation providers about particular trouble spots and posting a clear explanation of the snow-day decision process on the district website.
During questions from committee members, Dr. Riley acknowledged the district did not sufficiently consult the bus company the morning of the incident and said he would ensure two-way communication with contractors going forward. He said the administration had collected "hundreds" of community responses via a district survey and that the district would reach out directly to impacted families and report back to the full committee after meeting with stakeholders.
The superintendent described some practical changes under consideration, including a written process to guide early-morning calls, an annual meeting schedule with town DPWs, and more explicit protocols for when to select a delay versus a full-day closure. "We rarely, if ever, call unexpected early dismissals," he said; "I'd far rather get those calls [about being late] than go to a site and see a bus off the road."
The district did not announce a firm timeline for final policy changes but said further discussion would be part of the Jan. 26 budget retreat and that administration will present a follow-up to the school committee.
