More than 1,500 junior high school students in Norwood will face double sessions this fall after the school board learned that the newly constructed Junior High School North will not be ready for occupancy until mid-November at the earliest.
Meeting in a unanimous vote, the school board authorized the temporary double-session arrangement at the old junior high facility after permanent building construction committee chairman John J. Egan reported that delivery and installation delays for essential equipment-such as shelving and science apparatus—will prevent a September 3 opening.
The disruption comes less than a year after the board voted to incorporate the ninth grade into the junior high configuration to alleviate severe overcrowding at Norwood High School. Egan and building committee member Richard Kief explained that once remaining equipment arrives, installation must proceed in a strict sequential order rather than concurrently. Kief noted that manpower shortages have compounded the timeline, though he praised general contractor C.R. Burns of Brookline for making every effort to push the project forward.
While kitchen and gymnasium equipment are ready, and roof leaks have been isolated away from the main instructional spaces, the school must secure a temporary occupancy permit from the state Department of Public Safety for the central “B” section-which contains a majority of the classrooms-to allow partial use while construction wraps up in other wings. Superintendent of Schools Philip O. Coakley acknowledged his earlier optimism, stating that everyone involved was deeply disappointed by the delay.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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