(NECN: Julie Loncich, Westford, Mass.) – Where’s winter? Plenty of school kids are asking that as they enjoy winter break this week.
Unfortunately, not all kids are off in Massachusetts.
Several school districts canceled their winter vacation because of snow days from last October’s Nor’easter.
There really isn't any snow to speak of here in Westford, Mass., but that does not mean the kids here are exempt from making up snow days.
They spent part of their February vacation in class Tuesday. They'll do the same on Wednesday.
Westford may be one of the only places in Massachusetts where you'll spot a big yellow bus this week.
“I'm only here because my mom is making me,” said senior Nathan Giacalone.
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You'd have to go all the way back to the last weekend of October, nearly four months ago, to get to the root of the snow day situation: power outages plagued the town in the days after that storm and tropical storm Irene.
“Prior to Halloween we had already exhausted our five days of school that were built into the school calendar for inclement weather,” said Everett Olsen, superintendent of Westford Public Schools.
Superintendent Olsen worried the premature Nor'easter was a sign of things to come and made the decision to make up the lost days sooner rather than later.
“It's kind of depressing, ya. I mean, hindsight is 20/20. I feel bad, you know the superintendent has to make a call and you can't please everyone,” said parent Liz Johnny.
Students at Westford Academy say attendance was definitely down Tuesday.
“I hear that there was over 500 kids out today,” said junior Erin Shaughnessey.
And those that did report to school, either because they're model students or their parents gave them no other choice, said the day was, well, kind of a wash.
“I do not want to be here. We just watched movies in my class and stuff, so it's basically just a waste of time anyways,” said Giacalone.
He's lucky. Johnny's poor son had a test.
“We never expected that we would have a winter with no snow on the ground,” said Superintendent Olsen.
Kids here in the Westford School District still have two more snow days to make up. The Superintendent has already informed parents they'll have to do so during April vacation.
