A water main break outside McGlynn Middle and Elementary School in Medford left the building without running water Friday, prompting officials to cancel classes and send students home. All students and staff were reported safe as crews restored water shortly after 8:10 a.m.
The break happened outside the school itself, according to nbcboston.com, which reported that “the building doesn't have any running water, but otherwise all students and staff are OK.” As WHDH also reported, the water main break was located outside the McGlynn building, and families were asked not to come into the building as the situation unfolded.
Middle school students who had already arrived for the day were kept in their homeroom classrooms under supervision rather than sent to regular classes, per the same account from nbcboston.com. Those students were then dismissed as soon as possible to parents or caregivers, officials said. Elementary students never set foot in the building Friday, since the closure was announced before morning arrival began.
Why Classes Were Canceled Outright
School officials said the decision to cancel classes rather than simply wait out the repair came down to a basic requirement: schools are required by state law to have running water, the report noted. With that requirement unmet, Andrews Middle School and every other building in the Medford school system otherwise proceeded with a normal school day, since the outage affected only the McGlynn Building.
Getting kids home safely became the next priority once the dismissal was underway. Officials said the district's yellow bus and van transportation partners would assist in safely transporting students home, according to the same nbcboston.com report. Separately, WHDH identified Eastern Bus and Specialized Transportation as a provider whose services would not be running amid the disruption.
Water Restored Just After the Rush Began
In something of an ironic twist, city crews managed to restore water service to the building shortly after 8:10 a.m. — but by then, the dismissal of middle schoolers was already underway, the station reported. The timing meant students were sent home even as the underlying problem was being fixed just outside.
Other schools have also faced disruptions involving water or sewage. Medford High School previously dismissed students and staff early after a large sewage backup forced that building to close, according to Boston 25 News. Similar disruptions have played out elsewhere in New England this year, including in Gorham, New Hampshire, where students stayed home after officials cited a major water main break, as reported by WMUR.
