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
More…
-
Students to Face Stiffer Standards-July 18, 1990
In 1990 the town of Norwood was on the cusp of a significant change in its educational system. The school administration, led by Superintendent Louis J. Taris, had been studying ways to improve academic standards for over a year and a half. The result of this study was a proposal to double the number of…
-
Prescott School Security Roadway Proposal Sparks Opposition from Residents &PTA-September 14, 1979
Prescott School neighbors and the PTA oppose a security committee proposal to pave a perimeter roadway for police patrols, citing student safety and vandalism concerns.
-
School Enrollment Shows Drop of 382 from Last Year-September 6, 1979
Norwood public school enrollment drops by 382 students to 5,078, while administrators outline major scheduling and open-campus policy changes at the senior high school.
-
Aaron Guild School Leased to Norwood CETA Consortium and EdCo for One Year-August 1, 1979
Norwood selectmen voted unanimously to lease the closed Aaron Guild School for one year to the Norwood CETA Consortium and the Educational Collaborative of Greater Boston (EdCo) for $148,000.
-
Norwood School Bus Billing Questioned-July 31, 1979
The Patriot Ledger’s July 31, 1979 edition brought to light a controversy surrounding the billing practices of Kiessling School Transportation of Dedham, which had been contracted by the town of Norwood to transport special needs children. The issue at hand was whether the company had overcharged the town for mileage on certain routes. According to…
-
School Supplies Budget Maintained at Prior Year Level Amid Spending Pressures and Utility Shortfall Concerns-September 14, 1978
Superintendent Louis J. Taris reports that Norwood’s school instructional supplies budget maintains prior-year per-pupil rates despite tight spending constraints.
-
School Department Releases Bus Routes and Eligibility Rules-August 30, 1978
As the late-summer excitement of a new academic year approached in 1978, the Norwood School Department officially released its comprehensive student transportation schedules, route mappings, and eligibility guidelines for the upcoming school term. Designed to ensure safe and orderly transit for thousands of local students, the announcement established clear boundaries and behavioral expectations for families…
-
Norwood School Committee Considers Staggered School Closing Plan-July 14, 1978
The school housing needs committee last night recommended a second school closing plan that would close the doors of the Callahan School in September, shut down the Balch School in 1981 and close a third, unnamed elementary school in 1983. The plan was backed by seven of the nine members voting and was billed as…
-
Norwood High School Accessibility Concerns-July 10, 1978
On July 10, 1978, parents of handicapped students in Norwood voiced serious concerns regarding the lack of physical accessibility at the local high school. Mrs. Charlotte Haskell, president of the Norwood Special Needs Parents Group, recently sent a formal letter to School Superintendent Philip O. Coakley. In the communication, she urged the district to take…
-
School Board Recall Urged-July 8, 1978
Discover the 1978 budget battle in Norwood, where deep cuts to the school district’s $11.3 million budget led to a controversial recall effort and a lawsuit involving the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.