Schools discuss safety protocols amid frigid temps

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Temperatures were either below or around zero during the early morning hours Tuesday.

So, we wanted to know how this affected local school districts.

Despite the freezing temperatures school was still on for school districts across western Mass, including Holyoke Public Schools and Springfield Public Schools.

“There’s nothing to be surprised about. This is New England and January,” explained Azell Cavaan, spokesperson for Springfield Public Schools.

It most certainly is, and winter weather means temperatures that are bitter.

While we are still overcoming our area’s first major snowfall of the season this past weekend, Tuesday morning felt like the Arctic tundra.

With conditions being either just above, at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

While Cavaan says the district always keeps an eye on the weather, cases involving frigid temps are thought through with health safety measures in mind.

“We follow the protocols of an advisory or a warning...Students who have health conditions, such as asthma, they have plans in place. So, they are getting transportation to school, even if ordinarily they don’t fall within the policy of the miles away from school to get that transportation,” noted Cavaan.

She also told Western Mass News the district relies on parents to make the best decisions for their children.t

There is also the ‘FirstView’ bus tracking app to make sure kids can get on the bus safely in these conditions.

“They can track the bus and know exactly when the bus is going to be at their students’ bus stops,” Cavaan told us.

Western Mass News also got in touch with Holyoke Public Schools.

In a statement, Superintendent Anthony Soto said the district had taken steps to make sure schools were prepared for students and staff Tuesday morning, saying ..“Our facilities team members were in each of our schools over the weekend to ensure heating systems were operating properly. We also had crews clearing our school parking lots and sidewalks yesterday so that surfaces would be safe for walking, driving, and parking today.”

As for Springfield, Cavaan says they will continue to monitor the weather and has this advice for parents:

“I would encourage families to carpool. Find neighbors if their student walks to school to carpool so that they can have somebody who’s going to drive their student or a group of students to school.”

Also, if there are families out there who are in need of warm clothing for conditions like this, they can reach out to the district’s Family & Community Engagement by CLICKING HERE.

Also, for Springfield Public Schools Cold Weather Alert info., CLICK HERE

As of right now, school is still on schedule for both Springfield and Holyoke on Wednesday.