The Norwood School Department has received formal approval to relocate its central administrative offices to the former Winslow School, which has been vacant since closing the previous year. The school committee voted unanimously in favor of the move, which Superintendent Dr. Philip O. Coakley estimates could take place as early as December.
To prepare the 68-year-old schoolhouse for its new administrative function, the committee voted to gather detailed cost estimates for necessary building improvements. Dr. Coakley noted that required upgrades—including new heating and ventilation systems, vandalism alarms, and interior alterations—can be accommodated within the current school department budget.
Property Transfer and Past Debates
Under the relocation plan, the existing school administration building on Walpole Street will be turned over to the general town government. This mirrors the transition of the former Shattuck School, which also closed in 1974 and was subsequently repurposed to house municipal offices, including headquarters for the federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) program.
Mindful of past controversies, school committee member Richard W. Kief urged the board to formally affirm its intention regarding the future status of the building. “I don’t want to see a fiasco like we had with the Shattuck,” Kief remarked. The closure of Winslow School had been the focal point of heated debate at a special town meeting the prior year, when a coalition led by school committee member Joseph M. Pentowski unsuccessfully fought to retain the facility for vocational education. The school committee is scheduled to meet with the Board of Selectmen soon to finalize the transition plans.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
Norwood School Board Rejects All Special Needs Busing Bids-August 21, 1980
With opening day just two weeks away, the Norwood School Committee voted 4-3 to reject all bids received the previous week for special needs student transportation. Acting under emergency procedures, the board announced it will call for new bids by Tuesday, with a potential contract award scheduled for Wednesday night. The rejected proposals came from…
-
Henry O. Peabody School Director Ruth Shea Ponders Retirement After 14 Years-August 12, 1980
After 14 years expanding vocational education, Henry O. Peabody School director Ruth Shea ponders retirement while securing a 97 percent graduate job placement rate.
-
Norwood School Administration Relocates to Willett School-July 24, 1980
The Norwood School Administration relocated to the George F. Willett School and enacted strict new graduation credit requirements.
-
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…
-
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 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.