Imagine a city buried under nearly two feet of snow, and now picture thousands of students trying to get back to school. That’s exactly what happened in Worcester this week, and it wasn’t pretty. While the city struggled to dig itself out after a massive snowstorm, Worcester Public Schools faced a daunting challenge: getting students safely back to class on Wednesday, January 28. But here’s where it gets tricky—school buses found themselves battling narrow, snow-clogged streets, with at least one bus getting stuck in a snowbank in the Vernon Hill neighborhood, requiring a tow truck to set it free.
School had been canceled on Tuesday, January 27, and was already closed on Monday, January 26, for a scheduled professional development day. When students finally returned on Wednesday, the district insisted it had done its homework. In a statement to the Telegram & Gazette, Worcester Public Schools explained, ‘We consult with city and public safety officials when deciding whether to open during winter weather. We monitor snow and ice accumulation, road safety, and student transportation closely.’ Sounds thorough, right?
At-Large School Committee member Sue Mailman acknowledged the effort, saying, ‘The district worked hard to prepare schools after the storm, but with the heaviest snowfall in over a decade, some issues were unavoidable.’ She noted that main roads were mostly clear by Tuesday evening, and Superintendent Brian Allen even personally inspected school areas to ensure they were safe. But—and this is the part most people miss—side streets, especially in neighborhoods like Vernon Hill and Grafton Hill, remained treacherous. Snowbanks overflowed, reducing traffic to a single lane, and plowed snow had buried cars and sidewalks alike.
One major headache for parents? Bus stops turned into snow-filled obstacles. Many stops are located at road intersections, where plowed snow piles up, leaving students with nowhere to stand but the street. The district urged parents to use Worcester’s 311 service to report problematic bus stops, stating, ‘We prioritize student safety and work with the city to address concerns, but families can help by reporting issues directly.’
Here’s where it gets controversial: Is the city doing enough to clear snow around schools and bus stops? Mailman suggested that while the snowfall was a challenge for everyone, Worcester’s ‘snow muscle’ has weakened due to milder winters in recent years. She also pointed out that the city should prioritize clearing new sidewalks near schools, which the district worked hard to install. ‘Those should be among the first things cleared after a storm,’ she said.
So, what do you think? Is Worcester handling snow removal effectively, or is there room for improvement? And should schools have stayed closed another day to ensure safer conditions? Let us know in the comments—this is one debate that’s sure to heat up faster than a snowbank in July.
