After blizzard, Cumberland superintendent defends decision not to submit a districtwide distance-learning plan
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Thornton thanked staff for emergency snow response, outlined calendar impacts and said the district chose not to submit a formal distance-learning plan this year, citing equity and logistical challenges for roughly 5,000 students. A topping-out ceremony at the BF site is scheduled for March 4.
Superintendent Dr. Thornton briefed the Cumberland School Committee on the district’s snow-response and calendar implications at the Feb. 26 meeting, praising facilities staff and external partners and describing the district’s decision not to submit a formal distance-learning (DL) plan for the year.
Dr. Thornton named crew members he credited with the response: “Big shout out to Will Jesus and his team ... These folks started coming here Sunday night and slept over and didn't leave till after 9:00 on Tuesday.” He told the committee all eight locations had been addressed and that work finished about half an hour before the report. The superintendent said the district will ask the commissioner’s board to forgive two waived days so the school year remains a 178-day year; as presented, the projected last day of school would be June 22, 2026, subject to weather and final approvals.
Assistant Superintendent Antonio Dimona Jr. explained why the district did not submit a DL plan this year, citing equity and logistical problems for roughly 5,000 students: device distribution, Wi‑Fi gaps and staff bandwidth for full virtual instruction. “It becomes an equity issue, when you have 5,000 kids that you're trying to execute widespread distance learning,” he said, adding that other districts often limit remote days to packet work or short check-ins rather than full new-content instruction.
Dr. Thornton also provided a construction update for the BF site, noting steel erection progress and that the district plans a topping-out ceremony March 4 at 10 a.m. He warned that crane scheduling constrains ability to move the date and said staff would monitor weather and make a decision if necessary.
The committee asked questions about calendar impacts and ceremony timing; staff said they would watch forecasts and aim to keep the schedule but that crane re-mobilization would be costly. The superintendent stressed the district’s attempt to balance safety and instructional time when making snow-day decisions.
The meeting packet contains slides and construction photos referenced during the report.