Attleboro schools reopened for first time since blizzard, but some parents weren't happy about it

Attleboro schools reopened Friday for the first time in nearly two weeks, after winter break and then a blizzard. But, some parents weren't happy about it.

"I don't understand why schools opened today. You're already closed for four days. What's Friday?" said parent Sami Kefel said. 

Kefel is one of the parents questioning the decision to reopen schools after nearly three feet of snow fell in Attleboro Monday. His 17-year-old daughter normally takes the bus to school, but he personally dropped her off Friday.

"All of the sidewalks are not plowed. How are the students going to stand?" Kefel asked. "I'm not taking the risk."

The city lifted the state of emergency at 5 p.m. Thursday and said crews are working around the clock to clear streets and walkways. Some parents said it was time to get back into a routine.

"I think the city did the best they could. I don't pretend to know what it takes to manage snow removal like this, but I appreciate them reopening school," said Jessica D'Abrosca, whose daughter is a spohomore at Attleboro High. "What kid really wants to go to school after two full weeks off with February vacation, but we just needed to get back to normal."

The school district said that no students were marked late on Friday and that all absences were excused.

"We understand that some parents have concerns about sidewalk and road conditions following the historic blizzard and the four days of closures. The volume of snow and sustained cold have made cleanup challenging citywide," Attleboro Schools Superintendent David Sawyer said in a statement Friday.

"Before reopening, we spent all day Thursday working closely with the Mayor's office, the Department of Public Works, our transportation provider, and our facilities team to assess routes and school properties. School walkways and entrances were cleared, and bus routes were driven and evaluated, with specific problem areas relayed to the city for additional attention."

"The bus company was directed to pick up students at alternative locations if bus stops were not accessible and to pick up any students walking to school," Sawyer said.

Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone said Friday that talk on social media that there were recent budget cuts prior to the snowstorm "has no basis in reality."

"I understand people are frustrated but there is a process to snow removal," she said in a statement. "Main roads are cleared first, then local roads and neighborhood roads. Sidewalk clearing has begun but will take longer than usual because of the additional piled snow from road clearing."