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January 16, 2008

Broken boiler = Half day for Westerly students

WESTERLY — A lack of pressure in a boiler’s fuel line resulted in chilly classrooms today at Westerly Middle School and early dismissal at 11:30 a.m.

School Supt. Thomas DiPaola said the problem was discovered at 6:30 a.m. DiPaola said he, Middle School Principal Dennis Curran and staff members from building, transportation and food service agonized over whether to send students home early.

DiPaola said they had to allow time for a repair crew to work after shutting off all the heat, but they also had to consider student safety and parental inconvenience in an early dismissal, and they didn’t want to incur a make-up day at the end of the year.

“We went as long as we could,” he said, allowing all students to eat lunch before leaving between 11:30 and 11:40 a.m. Because they spent at least half a day in school, it counted as an educational day. He said parents were notified by NIT Group’s Connect-Ed automated phone system, and that they would be notified again about classes tomorrow as soon as possible.

Information about school closings are posted on the district’s Web site.

DiPaola said the new Middle School at 10 Sandy Hill Rd. has good insulation and that no classroom got colder than 60 degrees.

-- Journal staff writer Donita Naylor

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 2:49 PM | Permalink

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