Westwood Regional Schools Closing on Primary Election Day

Westwood Regional students won't have to go to class on June 4, when primary elections are held in schools.

The district had two leftover snow days, so students will have off May 28 and June 4, Interim Superintendent Rory McCourt said Thursday. All after-school activities will still happen as scheduled.

Officials had previously discussed moving the polling locations out of schools for security reasons, but the county refused, according to district Business Administrator Keith Rosado.

McCourt previously told Patch that the district was reviewing their security and would "tighten procedures" following the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. which left 26 students and staff dead.

"Sandy Hook is still fresh in everybody's minds," Board of Education President Roberta Hanlon said.

The district plans to also keep students out of school for the November general election by declaring it a staff development day.

Rosado said they had also discussed changing polling locations with the mayors of Westwood and Washington Township, who had supported the idea. Both towns have alternate locations which could be used for elections, he said.

District officials still aim to get the polling locations changed in the future.

"We're hoping that the county will change their decision," Rosado said.

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