Photo: Snow day in Belmont
Belmont School Superintendent John Phelan’s Thursday afternoon announcement was short and concise:
“Due to the storm, Belmont Public Schools will be closed on Friday, January 7, 2022.“
The storm is also moving the scheduled Boys’ and Girls’ away varsity basketball games up a day to Saturday, Jan. 8 vs. Woburn.
Photo: Snow heading our way.
The first significant storm of winter will buffer Belmont with upwards of a foot of wind-driven snow starting Wednesday night, Dec. 16, and lasting until the early afternoon Thursday.
And while there had been discussions during the summer that school closures due to snowstorms were a thing of the past – every student has demonstrated they can learn in the remote phase – the Belmont Schools are preparing for the return of the snow day.
First, the forecast: The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for Belmont and eastern Massachusetts that will go into effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday until 1 p.m. Thursday as southern New England can expect heavy snowfall with accumulations of 8 to 12 inches with some locally higher totals. The storm will be accompanied by wind gusts as high as 35 mph.
The NWS warned that travel could be “very difficult to impossible” during nighttime hours Wednesday with the hazardous conditions impacting the morning commute.
In a message released Tuesday by Belmont Superintendent John Phelan, a school cancellation notification for Thursday will be issued by Wednesday early evening. In that event, all classes, both hybrid and remote-only, would be canceled.
“Families will receive an email and “robocall” if there is a school cancellation,” said Phelan. “If you do not receive an email or call, school will open as normal.”
In addition to an email and a call, the Belmont Public School website will list weather closures. The local television and radio stations will also list cancellations. See below for some helpful links:
WBZ Radio (1030 AM) and TV (Channel 4) https://boston.cbslocal.com/closings/
WRKO Radio (680 AM) and WHDH TV (Channel 7) https://whdh.com/storm-closings-delays/
WCVB TV (Channel 5) https://www.wcvb.com/weather/closings
The BPS Website https://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/bps/Parents/School-Closing-Delayed-Opening
Photo: Snow day!
Belmont public schools will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 3 due to the continued snow storm impacting the region, according to town officials.
Town offices will open two hours later than scheduled at 10 a.m.
Photo: Snow day
Photo: School’s out for … Thursday!
Belmont has surrendered to tomorrow’s Nor’easter.
With approximately a foot of snow predicted to fall from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, most of Belmont will be shut down for the day.
But one scheduled event will take place: Thursday trash and recycling pickup is still “on.”
Photo: A long way to school.
To the editor:
My name is Lloyd Ellison, and I am a senior at Belmont High School. For the third or fourth time this year, Belmont public schools will stay open even with the threats of six inches of snow.
I have a couple of issues with this; the first is obviously that I don’t get a snow day in which I get to sleep in and not take tests, but there is a much larger problem with the safety of getting and leaving school. Every time it has snowed this year, the large parking lot is not plowed before school. The lines are nearly invisible leading to confusion in where to park and disruptions in the flow of traffic in the parking lot. It is also not plowed during school, which makes it tough to get out.
I also find the main road is also not plowed particularly well, and this makes it very tough to get out of the school and onto Concord Avenue in addition to dropping off and picking up students in front of the school. I also get out early most days, so I find these troubles even before the bulk of students leave.
I’m not sure who is responsibility for clearing, but in my opinion, the removal needs to be better. I know it is tough to get this work done, especially early in the morning before staff and students come in. But this is why we have snow days because if it is too dangerous to get or to leave school then we don’t have it. Just because the roads are clear doesn’t do anything if the last roads and parking lots are not. I’m not saying that tomorrow needs to be a snow day, I’m just saying I want to feel safe going and leaving school.
Lloyd Ellison
Once again, the Belmont Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 10 due to the nearly 20 inches of snow that fell on Monday.
Also on Tuesday, the full Snow Emergency Parking Ban will be lifted at 7 a.m. Until that time, a full parking ban will be in effect, including on-street parking as well as municipal and school parking lots. Violators will be ticketed and towed.
After 7 a.m., the partial Snow Emergency Parking Rules will be in effect which limits parking on most streets to the odd-numbered side of the street.
Trash will be picked up on normal schedule
While the Beech Street Center will remain closed on Tuesday, Belmont’s two libraries, the Belmont Public and the Benton, will be open for regular hours.
The larger-than-expected snow fall from the Groundhog Day storm has forced the Belmont Public Schools to be closed once again tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 3. This marks the fourth snow day to be called in the past week.
According to the Belmont Police Department, the snow emergency parking ban will be partially lifted at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Belmont Police reported that parking will be allowed on the ODD side of most street in town. Exceptions will include business centers such as Waverley and Cushing squares and Belmont Center.
Town Offices will be open and trash and recycling will be picked up on Tuesday as scheduled.
The Belmont Public Library and the Beech Street Center will be closed.
The Belmont Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 28 to allow the town to continue clearing sidewalks and roadways, according to School Superintendent John Phelan.
The closure will include after-school activities.
Only the most wildly optimistic of parents would have thought Belmont District schools would be opening on Tuesday.
And now it is official. Below is the note sent to parents from Belmont’s Superintendent of Schools, John Phelan.
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff:
Due to the impending storm, all Belmont Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, 2015.
Due to the Governors “State of Emergency” all buildings will be closed for the day.
If school needs to be cancelled/delayed for Wednesday – I will email you with further instructions.
I hope you stay safe during this storm.