Unless construction work on a new sprinkler system is fully completed by tonight, Norwood High School will be forced to continue operating on half-day sessions next week, and the School Committee may pursue formal legal action against the contractor, ABC Sprinkler Co. of Allston.
Construction Delays and Financial Impact
Philip C. Swain of the permanent building construction committee reported that the project had suffered from poor initial engineering work. While Swain expressed hope that work would wrap up sufficiently to permit normal operations by Monday, the remaining unfinished tasks are concentrated in the school kitchen and cafeteria.
School officials emphasized that even after construction finishes, custodians and 22 cafeteria personnel will require a few days to thoroughly clean up accumulated debris and sanitize kitchen equipment before hot meals can be safely served. The original contract specified August 27 as the completion deadline, but repeated postponements have plagued the project.
School Committee member Richard W. Kief urged immediate punitive action, suggesting the town pull the contractor’s performance bond. “They keep putting off the completion date and are not performing in accord with the agreement. We should take the strongest possible action,” Kief declared. Kief further noted that the school department faces mounting financial waste, including potential overtime pay for cleaning crews and paying full-day wages for 114 teachers and cafeteria workers despite the truncated schedule.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Norwood Junior High School Honor Rolls for the Last Term-This Day In Norwood History-July 21, 1997
Celebrating Academic Excellence at Norwood Junior High The academic landscape at Norwood Junior High School was highlighted by a formal recognition of student achievement, as the administration released the latest honor rolls for Grade 7 and Grade 6. These lists, comprised of students who attained HIGH HONORS and HONORS status, served as a public commendation…
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Norwood High School Revives Latin Classes After Nearly a Decade-September 26, 1994
Norwood High School brings back Latin classes for the first time in nearly a decade, led by young instructor Stephen Olbrys to enthusiastic student enrollment.
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Norwood Elementary Grades Drive Enrollment Increase-September 2, 1993
School System Reaches 3,565 Total Students Norwood public schools have experienced an overall enrollment increase of 136 students compared to the previous academic year, bringing total district enrollment to 3,565 students, according to an announcement made by Assistant Superintendent Roderick Smith during a school committee meeting. Enrollment Breakdown by Grade Level The surge is heavily…
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Summer Education Program Helps Students Stay Sharp-August 12, 1992
Federal Chapter 1 funding revived Norwood’s summer remedial education program at the Cleveland School, combining academics with local field trips for 48 students.
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Prescott Elementary School Parents Urge School Committee to Alleviate Overcrowding-September 12, 1991
Prescott Elementary School parents petition the Norwood School Committee to hire a part-time teacher to alleviate overcrowded kindergarten classes.
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Schools Open with Retained Programs Despite Budget Cuts and Staff Reductions-September 3, 1991
When Norwood students return to classrooms tomorrow for the start of the new academic year, they will encounter a few visible adjustments—including higher cafeteria prices, a smaller teaching staff, and the discontinuation of Latin courses. However, school officials emphasized that despite a roughly $600,000 reduction to the $18 million school budget amid town-wide cutbacks, Norwood…
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Search for Superintendent Stirs Conflict on Committee-July 24, 1991
The Norwood School Committee engaged in a tense debate over expanding the superintendent search committee to include PTA representation and broader community voices.
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Norwood High School to Drop Latin Program Due to Dwindling Enrollment-September 27, 1990
Citing dwindling enrollment and a lack of cost-effectiveness, Norwood High School officials announce that Latin courses will be eliminated from the curriculum after June.
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Joseph Katchpole Succeeds George Usevich as Vice Principal of Norwood High School-August 23, 1990
Health and physical education department head Joseph Katchpole has been named acting vice principal of Norwood High School, succeeding George Usevich in the school administration.
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Norwood to Sue Blue Hills School to Block Budget-July 19, 1990
The town of Norwood was on a collision course with the Blue Hills Regional Technical School in July 1990, as officials prepared to file a lawsuit to block the school’s revised budget for the upcoming academic year. The dispute had been brewing for several weeks, ever since the four district towns – Norwood, Holbrook, Dedham,…
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