Dear Worcester Public Schools Families,
We are writing to clarify information about the availability of drinking water in our schools. First and foremost, all students and staff have access to drinking water in school buildings. In addition, Worcester Public Schools (WPS) is in the process of installing approximately 100 water bottle filling stations in schools throughout the district this year.
As a result of a state audit and to reduce costs and environmental impact, the district will no longer provide individual, disposable water bottles to schools for free. This practice began during the COVID-19 pandemic and was intended to be supplemental in nature.
The only schools that will continue to receive individual plastic water bottles will be McGrath Elementary School, Rice Square Elementary School, and Head Start Mill Swan because there is no drinking water access in those three facilities.
The remaining schools or program sites are grouped into two categories:
Group A:
There are bottle filling stations and/or water fountains in school.
Group B:
Water fountains or faucets are safe to drink from, but there are no bottle filling stations.
Group A schools or program sites:
Worcester Alternative School
Belmont Street Community School
Burncoat High School
Burncoat Middle School
Burncoat Street Preparatory Academy
Clark Street Community School
Claremont Academy
Doherty Memorial High School
Flagg Street Elementary School
Gerald Creamer Center
Challenge and Reach Academy (Harlow Street)
Nelson Place Elementary School
North High School
Roosevelt Elementary School
South High Community School
Sullivan Middle School
Thorndyke Road Elementary School
University Park Campus School
Woodland Academy
Worcester East Middle School
Group B schools or program sites:
Canterbury Street Elementary School
Chandler Elementary School
Chandler Magnet Elementary School
City View Elementary School
Columbus Park Elementary School
Elm Park Community School
Fanning Building
Foley Stadium
Forest Grove Middle School
Gates Lane Elementary School
Goddard Elementary School
Grafton Street Elementary School
Head Start Greendale
Head Start Millbury Street
Heard Street Academy
Jacob Hiatt Magnet School
Lake View Elementary School
Lincoln Street Elementary School
May Street Elementary School
Midland Street Elementary School
New Citizens Center at New Ludlow
Norrback Avenue Elementary School
Quinsigamond Elementary School
Tatnuck Elementary School
Union Hill Elementary School
Vernon Hill Elementary School
Wawecus Road Elementary School
West Tatnuck Elementary School
Worcester Arts Magnet School
Worcester Technical High School
If you have any questions, please email Ashley Gaboriault Hayes, Assistant Director of Food and Nutrition.
Sincerely,
WPS Nutrition Department