Despite freezing temperatures, school was still in session for school districts across western Mass

On January 22, 2025By Littum

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – Temperatures were either below or around freezing in the early morning hours Tuesday.

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

Despite freezing temperatures, school was still in session 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, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools.

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

While we’re still getting over our area’s first big snowfall this past weekend, Tuesday morning felt like the arctic tundra.

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

While Cavaan says the district always monitors the weather, cases involving cold temperatures are considered with health safety precautions in mind.

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

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

There is also the bus tracking app ‘FirstView’ to ensure children can get on the bus safely in these conditions.

“They can track the bus and know exactly when the bus will 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 ensure 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 that the heating systems were working properly . . . We also had crews clear 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 goes to school to carpool so they can have someone drive their student or a group of students to school.”

Also, if there are families out there who need warm clothing for conditions like this, they can contact the district’s Family and community involvement by CLICKING HERE.

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

Right now, school is still on schedule for both Springfield and Holyoke on Wednesday.