WESTFIELD – After being in constant contact with Board of Health Director Joseph Rouse and Public Health Nurse Debra Mulvenna, Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said the decision was made the morning of March 12 to postpone “Into the Arts,” the district-wide art and music festival scheduled for Westfield Middle School, March 27 and 28.
“Thousands of people come to this festival,” Czaporowski said. He said he is using the word postpone instead of cancel because he is hopeful that by May and June the threat of COVID-19 will become less of an issue, and “we can continue business as usual.”
Band families got the word earlier this week that the annual POPS concert scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14 has also been postponed. After receiving the word from Czaporowski of the decision, which the superintendent said he didn’t make lightly, Band Director Patrick Kennedy wrote to families. He said earlier in the day he spoke to the students directly about the decision.
“I wish you could have heard the kids at last night’s rehearsal…they sounded spectacular! I had several moments where I was able to remind myself how fortunate I am to work with your kids. Band kids are simply the best!” Kennedy wrote.
The POPS Concert has been tentatively rescheduled for May 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. “This of course will ultimately depend upon whether we are cleared to perform. I sure hope so!” Kennedy wrote.
Also cancelled was the Westfield Middle School performances of Peter Pan: A Musical Journey, scheduled for March 13 and 14.
Co-director Crystal Hollister said they have not yet rescheduled the performance and are not certain they will be able to do so.
‘We do not have a new date as of yet as we are being told that we are going to be making decisions on a week-to-week basis for the time being,” Hollister said. She said they would be videotaping the dress rehearsal March 12.
“We are still hopeful that ‘the show will go on!’,” Hollister said.
Czaporowski said that they have cancelled all out of country field trips and have been taking domestic trips on a case by case basis. He did say however that due to the concern expressed by parents, it looks like most if not all will be cancelled. The decision was made March 12 to cancel a field trip to the Springfield Museums that was previously still on.
No schools have been closed. After a report of possible contact by a teacher in Westfield Intermediate School who might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the school was disinfected.
“We have been regularly sanitizing the building after a rough flu season, and we took extra precautions,” Czaporowski said. He said the local Health Department and Massachusetts Department of Public Health said there was no reason to close the building.
“We are taking this very seriously. The health and safety of our students and staff are a top priority for us,” Czaporowski said.
WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY DELAYS STUDENTS RETURN TO CAMPUS
Westfield State University President Ramon S. Torrecilha announced on March 12 that the university will be joining others in reverting to online classes for the rest of the month.
“It is important to note that there are no reported cases of the Coronavirus on the Westfield State University campus, and no student or employee to our knowledge has been tested or is awaiting test results,” Torrecilha wrote.
“However, in the interest of maintaining a clean and safe environment for our students and employees, Westfield State University will cancel on-ground academic courses/classes (on-line courses continue as scheduled) for the week of March 16-20, 2020. Additionally, Westfield State will conduct all classes exclusively on-line for the week of March 23-27, 2020. The decision to delay students’ return to campus is in line with that of our peer Massachusetts state universities,” he said.
During the weeks of March 16 and 23, all other University operations will continue. A determination will be made about athletics and other campus events soon.
Torrecilha said pending further direction from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and his administration, the university anticipates resuming on-ground teaching on Monday, March 30, and re-opening residence halls to coincide with that.
Outside events at the University have also been cancelled, including the Credit for Life fair, which was scheduled to take place on March 11 in Woodward Hall.
City Councilor David Flaherty said the Boy Scout Merit Badge Academy scheduled for March 14 at Westfield State University has also been cancelled.
GATEWAY REGIONAL CANCELLATIONS
Superintendent David B. Hopson wrote on March 11 that the leadership team met to continue planning the district’s response to the Coronavirus issue, and made several decisions for the immediate future.
“Please know that these are made for cautionary purposes and that additional changes in student activities could occur at any time,” Hopson wrote.
The decisions made included cancelling all field trips that would bring students outside of the district.
All events that involve out-of-district individuals or groups of more than 25 (i.e., proms, work-study, internships, competitions, etc.) are also canceled.
District events such as the high school play, concerts, talent show, and school assemblies may continue, but without an outside audience (no parents, family, friends, community members). Hopson said the school would tape and/or live stream the events so that people can see them.
After school activities for students held in the district will continue at this time, and the athletic schedule will remain in place at this time.
Hopson said the school is also continuing with the regular school day and attendance policies at this time.
The above cancellations were as of noon March 12.
