Storms Three Days Apart? Snow, Rain, Sleet and Sun--in One Day? Must be January in Winchendon
After a long and mild start to the season, Winter is working overtime to meet its quota in north central Mass.
Saturday night, January 6 through Sunday evening, January 7, the first big winter Nor'easter of the season dropped varying amounts of snow, ice and rain on southern New England, with central Massachusetts and the Merrimack region (Lowell-Haverhill area) getting the highest amounts of plain snow. Winchendon does not have an official weather spotter, so it doesn't get onto the National Weather Service maps. But the Courier measured about 11.5 inches outside its offices, which is consistent with reports from Rindge of 11.5 inches.
There was very little snow on the ground at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, but the storm was teasing us. Bands of heavy snowfall dumped inches an hour on Toy Town during the afternoon, and by sunset it was still falling. Town crews had a long and hard 24 hours of sanding, plowing and clearing to do. Because it was a weekend, neither commuter traffic nor school buses were a consideration. Some local churches held services via Zoom, like they had gotten used to doing in 2020 during the COVID shut-down. Out on Lake Monomonac, snowmobiles went zooming joyfully around the snow-covered lake roads during Sunday afternoon.
With a week of classes missed due to the boiler incident at Murdock Middle High School, the school district was anxious not to rack up snow days, and Winchendon Public Schools opened with a two-hour delay on Monday, January 7. This counts as a full day for the purposes of the Department of Elementary and Seconday Education (DESE).
As weathercasters (barely concealing their delight) talked about "a very active weather pattern" settling into place, another storm swooped across the country and arrived on Tuesday, but this one had quite a different challenge in store for New Englanders. Now we were getting pouring rain--inches of it, with concomitant flood warnings, high wind warnings and high tides near the coast.
Winchendon, having gotten among the highest amounts of snow two days earlier, got a couple more inches and then pouring rain, which washed away much of our snow as temperatures rose to around 50 degrees. Water levels were high in ponds and streams (Lake Monomonac has been high for weeks), there were huge puddles everywhere, but the impact on Toy Town was much less than nearer the coast where strong winds led to many power outages.
On Saturday, January 13, another rain storm with milder temperatures and gusty winds arrived. It was beginning to feel rather odd for January, with mushy, muddy ground, puddles everywhere and thermometers dancing around 50 degrees. Most lakes and ponds had mere skins of ice and large areas of open water, although residents on a shallow part of Lake Momonomac posted videos of foxes trotting across the ice. Nothing heavier than a fox would have been advised to try doing that.
Then came Tuesday, January 16, the day that broke the school district's resolve to avoid snow days. The storm forecast didn't sound like much; ranging from 2 to 6 inches in Winchendon depending on the forecast, without much in the way of wind. It was the timing that had the impact, with snow starting before dawn and coming down moderately hard by commuter and school bus time. Winchendon Public Schools, along with many other districts, cancelled classes. It was a good call, because those who had to be out on the roads midday encountered challenging conditions. Plows and sanders couldn't keep up with the rate of snowfall, so roads were sloppy and messy, and very slippery in places. When the snow ended at about 7:00 p.m., Toy Town had about 4 inches of very light, fluffy and easy to shovel snow.
But now came the "polar vortex" Arctic cold we all had been watching freeze the middle part of the country for days. Winchendon is now in the middle of a week of high temperatures in the 20s--if they get that high--and lows down to single digits. Yet another storm may give us some light snow on Friday, but for the most part, the intense cold will be the biggest concern. The forecast high in Winchendon for Saturday, January 20 is 18 degrees.
All part of living in north Central Mass, of course, and so far it's been an easier month than January 2023. There's still a couple of weeks left to go before we give January, 2024 its final grade.
Interim Superintendent Goguen Discusses High Level of Chronic Absenteeism with SC
In the School Committee meeting held on Thursday, January 4, Interim Superintendent Dr. Ruthann Goguen told the Committee that the Winchendon Public School District has received $10,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to assist the district in mitigating chronic absenteeism. "Chronic absenteeism" is defined as a student missing ten or more class days without being excused for a valid reason, Dr. Goguen explained. Currently, Winchendon's chronic absentee rate is 37.5 percent of students missing ten or more days, with 11.14 percent missing 20 or more days.
"I'm in the process of working with the director of Pupil Personnel and the DLT team to best determine the use of these funds," Dr. Goguen said. "Here are some ideas that were recommended: Saturday school for students who are consistently missing time on learning. The hours for this kind of stuff have to be four hour increments after school. Another suggestion is for doing vacation week schools."
Dr. Goguen emphasized that "the time for this additional work can't be disciplinary. It's really recommended to be fun and incorporate learning."
Dr. Goguen said that the schools will be sending out "school climate surveys" for staff, families and students in grades 3 through 12. Parents can opt out of answering the surveys. "there are very simple short questions, really asking students and families about how they feel about the school," Dr. Goguen said.
Committee member Jake Catlin asked if there was any way to know why absenteeism was so high and whether there were issues that could be addressed, such as transportation problems.
Dr. Goguen said that the absenteeism reasons are individual case by case and she doesn't think transportation is the problem. The process for handling the situation through meetings with students and parents needs to be strengthened. "If I were to generalize, I do think that sometimes it's bad habits," she said. "I'm more concerned with the middle and the high school tardiness and absentee rates because at that point, those habits have been learned behaviors, and it's really hard to break those and we have to get parents involved to help us, so it's individualized, but we're trying to put it on the radar screen here."
She went on, "I think some families don't understand that we're obligated to make sure kids are in school. It's not that we're trying to make it uncomfortable for them. We have to provide an education and students have to be to school on time and every minute counts. DESE counts how many hours of time on learning you have each calendar year."
Committee member Adam Leblanc said, "With the $10,000 coming in, it's just putting a BandAid on a really bad wound. When do we start holding the family accountable? When do we start holding the students accountable? I mean, we can send Officer Flagg to every house to get those students or figure out why they're not coming in. But at the end of the day, we're wasting resources on kids that don't want to be there. Well, let's put their feet to the fire. Let's make their parents and them learn that hey, this is an opportunity for you to get out of whatever situation you're in. It's just mind boggling."
Dr. Goguen responded, "It is educational neglect at some point. We are mandated reporters when kids miss lots of days, schools really should be contacting DCF and the courts and there are some families that are involved. But I think the most positive way to look at this is to really make sure that school is fine. And the connection to your school starts in elementary school. And so building that culture where parents feel welcome to come in, where you're part of your kids' education, can follow you through the schools and I think we really need to get grounded in that support, and then to mediate the kids that have learned those bad behaviors. It's having meetings with those families and calling those families in and really trying to find out what's going on."
Mr. Catlin asked if the administration knows whether the number of absentees has grown, shrunk or stayed the same over the last years. Dr. Goguen that was great question and they can look into that.
Dr. Goguen continued, "The reason why DESE is giving money out is this is a problem. That it become a result maybe after COVID. Kids got comfortable at home. Some kids got jobs, let's face it, at the high school level. They decided to take a different path. I think there's many ways to mitigate this. I do think that the traditional approach of teaching and learning may not work for all kids. I do think that we really need to look at more hands-on kind of engagement things to keep kids engaged in wanting to come back to participate. Sports is a great thing. Cheer, drama, those extracurricular activities. We have to maintain those. Those are the hook. Project based learning is another hook, getting kids involved in those kinds of things. So I don't think it's one simple answer. And I do think it's individualized by each family. But again, I'll stress the importance of that home to school connection. Parents have to be with us on that and when they're not, that's when we have to reach out to other outside resources, like DCF or the courts to get involved, because it can become educational neglect."
Buy Local Winchendon
Beyond the Shopping Bag--There's More to Buying Local Than Merchandise
As this series has been showing, Winchendon has more opportunities to shop for merchandise than many people realize. The goal of the Buy Local initiative is not only to make all Winchendon residents aware of their options right here in town, but to support and encourage retail businesses to return here. Only a few decades ago, Winchendon's downtown was a thriving shopping center, with stores selling shoes, clothing, sundries, meat, general groceries and many other staples of everyday life. Reviving retail stores that not only serve Winchendonians, but draw customers from other communities, is a tall order--but it can be done. We're not just blowing smoke when we in the Buy Local initiative say, "we're working on it."
And that includes a retail grocery store. More updates on that project will be forthcoming.
But a healthy "buy local" community economy involves far more than purchasing items you can take home in a bag.
When people move into a town, the first things they look for and ask about on social media are usually services, not merchandise. New homeowners want to know who to hire to do landscaping, yard clean-up, and snow plowing. They ask about contractors who can do home repairs, wiring, remodeling, insulation, HVAC installation, and plumbing. They ask what trash collection companies are the best, or most locally available. They ask about the schools and services related to education (tutors, extended day programs, after school activities). They ask what things there are for their kids to do. They ask about local restaurants and take-out. They ask about local recreation and events.
Even long-time residents often have life changes that send them searching for services they never used before. Tax preparation, financial coaching and debt repair, temporary transportation ("does anyone in Winchendon drive Uber?"), new or more local medical professionals such as dentists, attorneys, mechanics for small engines and vehicles...the list is endless.
One problem that many such businesses have in Winchendon is promotion. Most of them go no further than posting on Facebook or other social media platforms. Years ago--about the same time that you could buy everything you needed on Central Street--businesses advertized in print newspapers. Now it's much harder to reach prospective customers.
This is also a dilemma that the Buy Local initiative is addressing. How do all our local businesses get their message to their public, and how does the public find them, short of asking for recommendations on a Facebook page? Word-of-mouth is the gold standard for promotion, but it can't be controlled; businesses have to build a critical mass of customers who are enthusiastic enough about them to tell all their friends.
The Courier's Community Directory lists every business we can find in Winchendon, with websites, social media pages, phone number, email and address to the extent that those are open to the public. But the Courier has the same problem: how do we get Winchendonians to engage with us?
Effective promotion is an art form as much as a science, and there isn't an organization or a business in Winchendon that can't use some support in doing it. This is why the Buy Local initiative is looking hard at finding ways to help businesses promote who they are and what they do.
Just as a representative sampling, here a few of the businesses in Winchendon offering all kinds of things that don't fit in a shopping bag. Many of these businesses have contributed to their community as well as being successful at what they do. But there are many more like them--peruse the Community Directory to see just how many there are!
Cailte Kelley, Financial advisor with Edward Jones.
113 Central Street.
Mr. Kelley has been involved with town organizations and businesses for a long time, and is currently on the Board of the Winchendon Community Action Committee (CAC). He is also a musician. He now has offices in the commercial building right across from the police station, with Gracie's Thrift Store and Toy Town Tax Service.
Clifford P. Beauvais Insurance Agency.
1 Summer Drive
This agency has been serving the town of Winchendon for a couple of generations. Located down by Whitney Pond, they've watched the Bike Path go in and the Clark Memorial YMCA expand, and they now have Bull Spit and the Winchendon Community Hub as new neighbors.
LaPointe Law Office
3 Central Street
Now featuring two attorneys and a new office right on Blair Square, the LaPointes are seriously involved with their community. Not only does Danielle LaPointe serve on the Board of Selectmen and David LaPointe on the School Committee, they perform in the popular local rock band The BIG RanDom and organize performances for Winchendon Fall Festival and the Winchendon Community Park, as well as the annual fundraiser for the Winchendon CAC, Winchenstock.
Toy Town Tax Service
111 Central Street
In the last few years, this business has moved into a new office on Central Street, next to Cailte Kelley and Gracie's Thrift Store. They're just starting their busiest time of year.
Unique Dental of Winchendon
77 Central Street
Now in a new office right on Central Street.
Jacoby's Tree Services Inc.
You see them everywhere after storms--in a town like Winchendon, tree services are in the top ten essential services.
Tenney Remodeling Inc.
With deep roots in Winchendon, Tenney Remodeling is a family-owned business and has been generously sponsoring events at the Winchendon Community Park and other places in town.
Brooks Automotive
25 Grove Street
Practically an institution in Winchendon, Brooks Automotive has served generations of Toy Towners and is a generous sponsor of many Winchendon events and organizations.
Auntie Jordan's Grooming
308 Central Street
Recently relocated here, Greenfield's loss is Winchendon's gain. Auntie Jordan is operating in a space that has seen many small enterprises come and go, the small building that for many years housed the late and lamented Hometown Diner, at the corner of Central and Maple Streets.
Barbers Beyond Dawn
298 Central Street
Open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday--the same days as the Glen Caffe--this business complements the Toy Town Barber Shop right across the street.
Joe Junks It
A lot of people have no idea where to get a dumpster, or help for a big house clean-out or property clean-up. This is an essential service that often is needed unexpectedly.
Oppure Oil LLC
87 Central Street
Recently moved to a new office on Central Street.
Snowbound Club
130 Baldwinville Road
A private club that runs many events open to the general public, including things like "Singo Bingo," "Killer Pool Tournaments" and performances by local bands, the Snowbound Club is right on Stoddard Pond and is available for private rentals.
Winchendon Self Storage
67 Gardner Road
One of the most unglamorous business categories, it's also growing because nearly everyone needs a storage unit at some point. This one is conveniently right on Rte 140.
The businesses above are listed as examples of the many kinds of businesses operating in Winchendon. In most cases, there are several other businesses in the same category, each one distinctive and with something unique to offer. With a population of more than 10,000, Winchendon does not have more private enterprise than it can support--quite the contrary.
A community that supports its own local economy has a strength and center that "bedroom communities" lack. Winchendon needs its local businesses not only for what they do, but for the growth and vitality and pride of place they create. Nothing hurts a town more than empty storefronts, peeling signs of long-gone shops and a nostalgic sadness for what "used to be." The businesses we have right now are the foundation of Winchendon's future--every one of them, in its own way. By supporting them, we're actively working toward that future. It's up to us to decide what the Winchendon of 2025 or 2030 or 2050 will be. "Buying Local" is the first and smallest commitment we all can make toward our community goals.
