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
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Superintendent Dr. Philip O. Coakley informed the Norwood School Committee that no companies submitted bids to supply 110,000 gallons of No. 5 heating oil for town schools due to quotas, shortages, and environmental regulations.
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Bells Are Ringin’-July 3, 1970
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Almost 50% of Graduates Head To College-July 10, 1969
The Norwood High School guidance department released a significant report on July 10, 1969, detailing the educational future of the school’s 419 graduates. The data revealed that approximately 45 percent of the class planned to attend four-year colleges that fall, a figure the department noted was likely the highest percentage of four-year institution acceptances in…
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Special School Program Enters Fourth Year-June 24, 1969
Utilizing a low 5-1 student-to-teacher ratio, a staff of 36 professionals works to reinforce reading skills and improve academic performance for public and parochial school children.
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School District Prepares for New Academic Year with Orientation Institute and Registration Dates-August 14, 1968
Superintendent Dr. Philip O. Coakley announced student registration dates and school opening schedules as Norwood public schools welcome dozens of new educators for the 1968-1969 academic year.
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Alan R. Wonson Reappointed as Principal of Winslow Elementary School-August 31, 1967
Following an executive session, Committee Chairman Francis X. Sheehan Jr. announced that the Norwood School Committee has reappointed Alan R. Wonson of Westwood as principal of the Winslow Elementary School, effective immediately. Wonson, the former vice-principal at the Cleveland Elementary School, had previously been appointed by a unanimous committee vote earlier in the month; however,…
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School Committee Discloses Closed-Session Debate Over Elementary School Principalship Merger-August 25, 1967
School committee minutes revealed a shelved plan to merge Shattuck and Winslow schools
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School Committee Considers Sweeping Administrative Reorganization Plan-August 24, 1967
School Committee Chairman Francis X. Sheehan Jr. proposed a sweeping administrative reorganization creating an associate superintendent to streamline Norwood school management
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Schools Prepare for 5th Annual New Teacher Orientation-August 22, 1967
Superintendent Dr. Philip O. Coakley welcomed 58 incoming educators at the fifth annual teacher orientation institute at Prescott School, introducing new faculty across secondary and elementary schools.
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Norwood Teachers Association Submits $1,000 Pay Increase Proposal-August 18, 1966
The Norwood Teachers Association submitted a $1,000-plus pay raise proposal as the school committee signed its first collective bargaining agreement amid debate led by John J. Cavanaugh and William Egan.
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