I belive it was a good call.

Yes it was a good call. The police had a ton of calls last night w/ trees and wires down. Also some roads were blocked, and transportation may have been a nightmare. Some still don't have power.

i was mad at first, but then was out and noticed so many trees were across streets..the bus schedule would have been a nightmare! At least the kids could get out and burn off some energy today!!

Not a good call considering all the parents had to go to work! There was not much damage in the town! None of the people that I know lost the power! Tewksbury Public Schools like always used another opportunity to take unscheduled vacation day (not mentioning all scheduled holidays off, and teachers' professional days and early dismissals)! Basically, the school system operates on the assumption that all the mothers are stay-home housewives!

I am shocked and somewhat dismayed that people are so anxious to get their kids back in school that they have no emphathy for their neighbors who have no power. I would imagine that it would be very difficult to get everyone showered and dressed and at the bus stop for school on such a dismal day. Is free daycare all that matters these days?

It's not about free day care, it's about canceling school for unjustified reasons! Most people did not lose power and it's unreasonable to expect school cancelation based on every induvidual's problems! Plus, losing power for one night is not an end of the world really! Clearly, the entire state went back to work, so it's obviously considered reasonable to get ready and get yourself to work despite dismal weather!

How about having empathy to your neighbors who have to use their vacation days and cancel their patients or other commitments for no GOOD reason?!

Clearly getting to work is very important to you. My guess is that you did not lose power.

Clearly it is, what's wrong with that :)? It is also important to me that my kids get their education on consistent basis! When I was growing up my school did not get cancelled every time the power went out, but then we did lose power fairly often, I guess you learn to deal with it!

It was a GOOD call for those kids who can't get to their bus stop without having to pass a downed line with a tree on top of it, which is still not taken care of. And I am a working mom who does have to take time off from work.

why cant i see comments?

I think it was a great decision. Seeing as some of us are still without power.

never mind, can see the comments, and there were plenty of trees and lines down along the streets...just on a couple of streets that we went by today! I had to work today too, so had to take a 'day off'...at first i was mad, but then being out, thought it was the best decision...

I'm not going to criticize the superintendent for canceling school if the best info he had the night before suggested extensive storm damage and no power for one or more schools, though I have to say lots of people were on the road at 9am this morning when I was on the way in to work and I can't say I saw any significant damage myself. There might have been more damage elsewhere, though.

That being said, I'm kind of amused by the idea that a power outage should make it impossible to get kids ready for school. Difficult maybe, but not impossible. Kids can go without showering for a day, breakfasts don't have to be microwaved, and teeth can be brushed with manual rather than electric brushes. I spent a year working in rural Africa at one point - no power grid of any kind - and those village kids walked to school every day in spotless ironed white shirts smelling of bath soap to high heaven. I've no doubt I could have gotten mine spiffed up and ready for the bus this morning, whether or not we had power. Show some grit!

It was getting them safely on the bus that is the problem and still is since NOTHING has been done about the lines down and in their path!!!

I think it was the right call. I am still without power and a tree took down all the power lines at the kids bus stop. You have power so you can not understand what it's like to be in our shoes. You know my neighbor asked to be put on a medical emergency list to have power restored since his wife is on hospice. Guess what? 24 hours later and we are still in the dark with a tree/wires down blocking the entrance to our street. But I guess we will get the kids to school!

MJA I get your point, but my guess is you have power in your home. I do not and it has been out since 130 yesterday. Having to keep 3 children busy and entertained for the past 30+ hours has been a treat! Thankfully the temperature has cooperated and we have not needed the heat. Looking forward to work tomorrow and food shopping as everything in the fridge has to go......

And now they can't trick or treat in the pitch black night!!! Thank you Natuonal Grid!!! Hope you enjoyed your time at Mavericks yesterday afternoon!!!! We had several people tell us this was a priority.....really???? I am happy for the 80k you restored but really how many more people will come out to assess before something is done????

And to see that the buses don't even know that a road is blocked is just fantastic!!!!

And the bus just picked up a half an hour late but it's not a problem!!!!! C'mon Tewksbury, you have the power to fix this not us taxpayers!!!

He made the right call.

It was the right call. Sounds like Dewing had no power. Sorry, AA, the town doesn't revolve around your schedule.

well I still have no power and no heat. I also have a tree that slammed my sunroom down and a pole at the end of my street that down with power lines still in tact. And National grid stated that tomorrow Nov 2'nd - 5 days with no power, no heat - everything would be back in tact. I am glad their was no school it would be pretty hard to get the kids dresses in no light and out the door on time. And yes, I am a working mom -I actually work 60 hours a week and would of preffered my kids in school instead of using a vacation day, but I was glad I used a vacation day and my kids had no school. I am sure like everyone else your job would of understood - as I am sure their kids had no school as well. But be thankful you have power and heat, I still don't and I have a baby under the age of one and a toddler.

Tewksbury2001 - Thank You! Very well said - AA - the Tewksbury school system does not - thankfully - revolve around your schedule. I know...2 days of missed school is really going to set your children back academically...its a tragedy. Oh, and be lucky you had a vacation day to take - some people don't even have that but do what they have to do ensure their children are safe. SAFETY FIRST! I'm totally good with having my child stay home instead of being in a cold, dark school with teachers who are annoyed that they have to teach in those conditions - remember, the Dewing had no power. Would you have preferred being called in the middle of your "patients" to come and pick up your child because the power had gone out again. Really? Everyone is always so eager to JUDGE rather than UNDERSTAND! Precisely what is wrong with our society. Have a happy day everyone...Sandra - hope you get your power back tomorrow...just got mine yesterday -frustrating - but at least our families are safe - all that matters in the end.

MJA - Thanks for sharing your story on Africa - I completely get it and admire their hardships- where there is a will, there is a way, however, we are not in Africa, we are in Tewksbury - just saying.