Medford Public Schools will be dark this Friday, after district officials decided late Wednesday they simply did not have enough adults to safely run classrooms. Superintendent Suzanne B. Galusi said an unusually high number of staff planned to be out for the Good Friday holiday, leaving the district without the coverage needed to keep schools open.
Superintendent cites staffing shortfall
The shutdown affects all students districtwide. After reviewing projected absences, leaders concluded that keeping schools open would stretch remaining staff too thin. "It would not be safe for teachers to hold class during the shortage," Galusi wrote in a message to families, according to Boston 25 News.
Roberts Elementary was already impacted this winter
This is not the first calendar curveball for Medford families this school year. Roberts Elementary had already shut its doors for two days in December after a suspected norovirus outbreak sidelined more than 130 students and staff, according to the school's news page at Roberts Elementary School. That incident forced its own set of make-up days and tweaks to the end-of-year schedule.
Make-up days and calendar review
The district plans to make up the newly lost instructional time at the end of the year. The updated schedule calls for full school days on Monday, June 22 and Tuesday, June 23; early-release days on Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25; and a Roberts-only early release on Friday, June 26 to address the earlier norovirus closure, as reported by Boston 25 News. Galusi also told families that the district will review its policies and procedures for building the school calendar and handling religious holidays, aiming to avoid repeat disruptions.
How families can stay informed
Medford families are encouraged to keep a close eye on the district’s official channels for any further tweaks to schedules, buses or after-school plans. The latest announcements and the most current version of the school calendar are posted on the district website at Medford Public Schools. Checking there first is still the safest bet before making last-minute child-care and transportation decisions.
