Dear NPS Families,     

I know this has been a difficult morning and I would like to apologize for the lack of a delayed opening today. 

As you may know, before making weather decisions, NPS consults with a variety of resources including a meteorologist, the City’s Department of Public Works and NPS transportation provider Durham School Services. Whenever possible, weather delays or cancellations are made by 5:30 am, before staff and buses get on the road, or the night before for a predicted storm.

Unfortunately, we were not notified about the potential for icy conditions until this morning, after our buses were already on the road. It was not even raining when buses were leaving the depot. I was also in consistent communication with the Mayor to consult with him about road conditions and to ensure that streets were being appropriately treated for ice. When conditions changed, we did not think it would be safe to reroute buses that were already on the road with students, in case parents had already left for work.  Once we were aware, we confirmed that all schools were open and accessible, with the exception of two, which were put on a 2-hour delay.

We are monitoring all staff and student arrivals this morning to make sure classrooms are covered. We are also working closely with the NPD, City and DPW to address any issues.

Please know that the safety of students and staff are always a top priority to our district. We apologize for not anticipating the shift in weather conditions after students were on buses.

Dr. Alexandra Estrella

Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools