Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 2/3/2022
LONGMEADOW- The Longmeadow School Committee met on Jan. 25 to discuss recent flooding at Wolf Swamp Elementary School and to give an update on new COVID-19 testing protocol.
According to Assistant Superintendent Thomas Mazza, the flooding at Wolf Swamp occurred on both Jan. 16 and Jan. 17. The first water penetration was associated with a malfunction of the sprinkler system and the second with a malfunction of the water supply in the kitchen. The cafeteria was heavily damaged along with four classrooms.
“It most certainly has been an unfortunate event. We have building checks that occur on a daily basis when school’s not in session when the weather starts getting cold. So usually around the beginning of December an employee comes through and checks that all of the heating systems are operating, that there’s no windows or doors propped open,” said Mazza. “It appears that with the sprinkler system the circulation up in the pitched roof area came undone and allowed for cold air penetration to fill that space. With the issue in the piping in the wall it does appear that there are some issues on the exterior portion of the building.”
He added that the town and the Department of Public Works were quick to help them with the issues. The art classroom, one damaged room, has been restored and students were expected to be able to return to eating in the cafeteria by Jan. 28.
Mazza assured the committee that they are working to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
“We continue to monitor it and appreciate the patience of the Wolf Swamp staff and families as we’re adjusting,” he said.
Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea then gave an update on COVID-19 cases and a new testing option for the district.
According to O’Shea, there have been 254 total student positive cases reported since Jan. 5.
“We’ve seen a steady decline in the number of active student cases in Longmeadow Public Schools, so that’s been encouraging,” said O’Shea.
Currently, town-wide data shows that 48 percent of 5- to 11-year-olds have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Ages 12 through 15 are 91 percent vaccinated and ages 16 through 19 are 84 percent vaccinated.
With the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) guidance, schools that reach a vaccination rate of 80 percent can unmask at local discretion.
In October, DESE required that unvaccinated individuals continue to wear masks in schools. As of Jan. 10, DESE has reframed this guidance to say that it is only recommended that unvaccinated students and staff continue wearing masks.
At this time, all Longmeadow Public Schools require masks despite their high vaccination rate. This continues to be a topic of discussion at School Committee meetings.
O’Shea also gave an update on the new at-home testing program from the state. Longmeadow has decided to go forth with this program which will allow them to discontinue Test and Stay, but continue with symptomatic testing.
They will now receive a shipment of at-home tests for participating students during the week of Jan. 31. Staff and students who opt-in to this program will receive one kit every two weeks.
“We have been in close touch with the Longmeadow Health Department on this. They’ve been made aware and are supportive of our decision to go in this direction and, again, I would want to emphasize that we’re going to continue with our symptomatic testing in school and that is because we’re really fortunate that we have testers in each of our six schools on most days,” said O’Shea.
With the new testing program, O’Shea emphasized that COVID-19 precautions will remain important to the district and in place for the foreseeable future.
“I want to reassure our families and the community that our distancing practices will remain in place. This is not all bets are off, distancing is still an important mitigation strategy for us, and we’ll continue with that and universal masking until we decide otherwise,” he said.
Those interested in viewing the Longmeadow School Committee meeting in its entirety are encouraged to visit the LongmeadowTV YouTube page.