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Hamilton-Wenham Parents Frustrated After Week's Worth Of Snow Days

HAMILTON (CBS) -- Some parents in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District are ready to climb up on the roofs of their schools to clear snow and get them open after they've been closed five straight school days. All told, the district has had eight snow days this year. Five are built into its calendar.

Anya Goodridge, already schooled in parenthood, was being tested after classes for her kids were cancelled Tuesday. "It's been pandalerium," she said. "And every day, you think there's no way school's going to be cancelled tomorrow, and then you get a call from the Assistant Superintendent saying school's going to be closed. At this point, it's kind of a joke."

"When the building inspector just said, 'We're not going to let you go to school until you get the snow off,' that means I can't have school," said Superintendent Raleigh Buchanan.

WBZ-TV's Ron Sanders reports.

After supervising Lego sessions, sledding, video games and visits to museums, Goodridge turned to social media. "A friend on Facebook said, 'No school again tomorrow. I have a plan and a shovel. Going over to Buker (Elementary School) tonight to clear the roof. Who's with me?'"

"If someone asked me to come over with a shovel, I'd be there for three hours with two shovels," said parent Lindsay Pollard.

"I'm very impressed that people want to help. In the past, I've used volunteers. But insurance companies now won't let you do that," said Buchanan.

The superintendent said he's been through a roof collapse at a school in Indiana where no one was hurt, but he doesn't want to take that chance here.

"So, yes, it's an inconvenience. You know we want kids in school, too, but we want them in a safe school," said Buchanan.

After climbing up on the roof of the high school to survey snow removal, Buchanan said his district's elementary schools will be open Wednesday, the high school on Thursday and the middle school Friday.

Assistant Superintendent Peter Gray said there's a groundswell of support for using February vacation to make up snow days. So, the school committee will take that up Thursday night.

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