# Springfield School Committee   School Safety Subcommittee Meeting   October 14, 2026


**Body:** SPS School Committee and Subcommittee Meetings
**Date:** October 13, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Education, Transportation, Physical Infrastructure


The Springfield School Committee School Safety Subcommittee met on October 14, 2026, to discuss IEP-related specialized student transportation, the Rebecca Johnson Elementary School playground, and pickup/drop-off traffic at Washington Elementary School. Staff explained that IEP teams determine whether transportation accommodations—including bus monitors, accessible vehicles, nurses, or other one-to-one support—are needed based on a student’s disability-related needs. The district had trained bus monitors in August and was planning a follow-up training for November or December. No transportation contract, budget allocation, or purchasing decision was discussed.

On the Rebecca Johnson playground, staff reported that morning and afternoon perimeter checks and closing gates during recess had prevented cut-through traffic, with no sharps found since the procedures began. For Washington Elementary, the committee reviewed a Pioneer Valley Planning Commission traffic study and discussed proposed safety and traffic-management changes. DPW described the required review process, including school-department input, consideration by the Traffic Commission, and possible City Council approval; an October 21 Traffic Commission meeting was anticipated. A separate engineering review of the school parking lot was underway, but no timeline was available. No project funding, contract award, vote, or procurement action was identified.

**Source:** SPS School Committee and Subcommittee Meetings