Schools Will Be Closed Monday, Superintendent Reverses Decision

Milford Schools will be closed Monday, after all.

Superintendent Robert Tremblay has reversed his earlier decision to reopen. He cited a weather report calling for freezing rain in the morning, and concern expressed by parents, who said children would not be safe without access to sidewalks cleared of snow.

The school system sent out a message to parents through the automated system, Tremblay said.

"In consideration of the current conditions (high snowbanks, narrow roads, and many impassable sidewalks  — despite the efforts of the Milford Highway Department) coupled with the predicted ice in the morning, I am canceling school tomorrow — Monday, February 11, 2013," he wrote. " The safety of our students is my priority and I don't feel that these conditions will allow for safe travel to and from school."

Most Milford roads are cleared of snow, but only about 60 to 70 percent of the sidewalks were expected to be cleared by Monday morning, according to the Milford Highway Surveyor Scott Crisafulli. His crews were to come to work at 8 p.m. Sunday, and will be clearing sidewalks through the night.

Tremblay said he reconsidered his decision to open the schools, in part, because the area is expected to have freezing rain early in the morning, later turning to rain.

And Tremblay said he drove through Milford Sunday afternoon, and felt the height of the snow piles lining the roads and at bus stops was too high.

Milford had 28 inches of snow in the Blizzard of 2013, which struck Friday night into Saturday. Schools will be closed in several surrounding towns Monday, as well, including Uxbridge, Mendon-Upton, (Blackstone Valley Tech) and Hopkinton.

"I gave some more thought to it," Tremblay said.