Superintendent Dr. Sonia Dinnall

As states and local governments grapple with a federal grant freeze, Springfield, Massachusetts, is still hoping to put recently-awarded grant money to work — paving the way for a new fleet of electric buses.

The new superintendent of Springfield Public Schools is halfway through her first, full school year leading the district. During a recent special address, Dr. Sonia Dinnall described work done during her first few months, as well as priorities going forward.

In 2024, both Springfield's city council and school committee saw high-stakes debates and votes early on. How they navigated them, plus primary challenges and a drunk driving incident involving the Hampden County Sheriff, were some of the city's top political stories of the year. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos spoke with Matt Szafranski, Editor-in-Chief of Western Mass. Politics & Insight, about how it all played out.

This year, the Pioneer Valley saw a new police chief picked in its largest city, a new superintendent helming its largest school district, and a protest at the state’s flagship university getting national attention - among other big stories.

Authorities in Springfield, Massachusetts, say a “zero tolerance” policy is being enforced, following weeks of hoax threats targeting local schools. The change comes after the latest incident led to a teenager’s arrest.

School is back in session for parts of western Massachusetts, including Springfield, where thousands of students are returning to class. Also marking her first day of school is the district's new superintendent.

In early July, the Springfield School Committee welcomed the district’s new superintendent. Dr. Sonia Dinnall, a longtime district educator, was selected to lead Springfield Public Schools, one of the largest districts in New England.

As the city’s new public schools superintendent marked her first day on the job Monday, leaders in Springfield, Massachusetts gathered to highlight how millions of emergency relief funding from the pandemic is fueling numerous projects.

The city of Springfield, Massachusetts officially has a new superintendent in place.