District Communications

Dear WSD Staff and Families, 

December 13, 2020 – I am writing to you this evening with some important information. Throughout the entire weekend, the WSD COVID-19 Response Team has been working closely with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH). Unfortunately, at this point, fifteen (15) members of our learning community have confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this relentless virus. 

Community Transmission

WSD’s understanding from the VDH contact tracing team is that each positive case in our district is due to community transmission. That means that the infected individuals did not catch COVID-19 at school. Rather, they contracted the virus through close contact with an infected person at home or out in the community. This is important to mention because that means that our district’s virus mitigation strategies are working. We must all continue to avoid in-person visits with anyone we do not live with, including extended family members, close friends, and people in our “pods” until public health experts consider it safe.

Extension of Fully Remote Learning 

Our district will remain in our fully remote learning model through Tuesday, December 22, which will lead to winter break. Our hope is to return to our previous in-person instruction schedule on January 4. While VDH has assured us that because of our success at following safety procedures our schools are safe for in-person learning, we have made this difficult decision due to staffing challenges and out of an abundance of caution. 

The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Our learning community is counting on you to continue doing everything in your power to keep us all healthy. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the COVID-19 hotline: 802-556-2243

Take care,

Sean McMannon, Superintendent

Important Upcoming Dates:

• WSD Fully Remote Learning 12/9 through 12/16. The current plan is for all students to return to the previous in-person schedule 12/17 (details below).
• December 23 through January 3 – No School
• Find the WSD’s updated school calendar here.
• Flu Shot Clinic – Tuesdays and Thursdays in December – (postponed until 12/17/20)
• January 6, 2021 – WSD Staff COVID-19 Surveillance Testing (additional details TBD)

Dear WSD Families,

The last week and a half have been incredibly challenging for our district. With our first three probable positive cases happening within a week and a half, the COVID-19 response team has been working tirelessly with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) to keep everyone safe. The decision to temporarily move our students to a fully remote learning model was not made lightly. We know that extended school closure is detrimental to our students’ academic progress, social-emotional development, and overall well being.

Yesterday, we found out that a fourth member of our learning community has tested positive for COVID-19. The WSD COVID-19 Co-Coordinators have already been in touch with everyone considered a close contact of the positive individual. If you have not been contacted that means no one in your family is considered a close contact.

Based on everything we know so far, none of the district’s positive cases of COVID-19 were transmitted at school.

We plan to maintain in-person learning, both hybrid for our middle and high school students and four-days per week of in-person instruction for our elementary students, as long as we meet the following criteria:

• Low COVID-19 Positivity Rates within the Community and School. Low rates are based on VDH and Center for Disease Control standards.
• Sufficient staffing levels to safely maintain in-person hybrid instruction
• Ability to adhere to the VDH and Agency of Education Safety and Health Guidance

The COVID-19 response team will confirm a return to our regular in-person instruction schedule next Tuesday (12/15) based on these criteria. All families and staff will be notified of any decisions on Tuesday.

What can we all do to stay safe? 

It is incredibly important that we all continue to follow the tried-and-true mitigation strategies that have kept Vermont’s COVID-19 rates among the lowest in the country.

While it is disheartening this time of year, as we regrettably forgo family traditions and celebrations, everyone must continue to avoid leisure travel and multi-family gatherings until the health experts decide it is safe again.

Meal kits available for all children in Winooski

During remote learning, WSD will still provide meals for all children in Winooski ages 0-18. Read more about our meal kits here.

Basketball Updates

Currently, due to the recent Governor’s order, all school athletic activities are suspended until further notice. We will continue to communicate regularly about updates to our sports schedule.

Safety and Security Questionnaire – Please share your input! 

The WSD school board has requested a community engagement, education, and voice process about broad school safety and security. This process is intended to increase feelings of safety and security at WSD caused by systemic racism as described in the Winooski Students for Anti-Racism (WSA) letter. The board wants to conduct this community process throughout December and January so they can hear from the community to inform their decision-making about general school safety and security by late January and specifically the SRO program for the future.

All community members are encouraged to complete the School Safety and Security Questionnaire. The WSD home school liaisons will work individually with ELL families to complete the survey by the end of December.

Antiracism Updates

At last night’s board meeting the WSD School Board discussed the creation of a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee to guide the dynamic work of becoming an antiracist school district.

The next step will be to expand the Planning Team, ensuring broad community representation including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Then, the Planning Team will develop the role composition, application, selection process, and job description for the Steering Committee and each demand-based team for approval by the WSD school board on January 13th, 2021. Read more about the goals of the Steering Committee here.

The Winooski Students for Antiracism (WSA) also presented their proposed budget for equitably carrying out their work. School Board members and community members shared their excitement, questions, and creative ideas to fund the work. View the budget here. WSA reps also announced they have already received $1000 from a local Giving Circle. If you would like to contribute to the WSA’s work you can donate here. Read about why the WSA was selected below.

“We are so inspired by the work of WSA and honored to be the first funders to invest in the important work these students are doing to address systemic racism and build a more just, equitable community. These young people are doing the hard work to bring about meaningful change that is long overdue. They are truly inspiring and it has been an awesome experience to learn from them and watch them lead.” – Leslie Halperin, Co-Founder of The Giving Project and Member of LaunchpadVermont, Cohort 2, Pop-Up Giving Circle

Thank you for reading these updates and strengthening our home-school partnership.

Take care,

Sean McMannon, Superintendent

Dear WSD Families,

While our district is fully remote, student meals are still available. In order to better meet the needs of our families, our food service providers will be offering “make your own meal” kits so that students can make their own meals at home with the groceries provided through the district.

Each child in the family, ages 0-18, is eligible for 1 meal kit which has enough food for seven days for that child. For example, if you have two children in the family, you can pick up two meal kits. The kits include breakfast and lunch. Tomorrow’s meal kits will include two pre-made meals, as well as bread, milk, meat, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and other staples.

These meal kits will be available for pick-up tomorrow, Wednesday, December 9, from 9-10 am at three locations – the school district outside of the Middle-High School entrance, the Winooski Family Center, and the O’Brien Community Center.

The Vermont Foodbank will also be at the school district tomorrow (Dec 9) from 9-10am with fresh produce and frozen chicken.

Please send only one family member, wear a mask, and maintain physical distancing. Do not leave home if you are sick. 

If you have been asked to quarantine and are unable to come pick up food, please contact Emily Hecker [email protected].

Thank you,

Emily Hecker, WSD Communications Director

Dear WSD Families,

December 7, 2020 – I am writing to you this evening to let you know that another member of our learning community has a confirmed positive case of COVID-19. At this time, we have no reason to believe there is any evidence of transmission occurring in the building between any of our recent cases. 

This afternoon, the WSD COVID-19 Co-Coordinators have called all individuals considered close contacts of the third positive case. If you have not been contacted, that means you and/or your child are not considered a close contact of the positive case.

The WSD leadership team, the WSD COVID-19 Response Team, and a representative from the VDH met throughout the day and this evening to conduct an investigation. Out of an abundance of caution, the WSD leadership team decided to temporarily move to a fully remote learning model for every student in the WSD beginning on Wednesday, December 9th.  

Starting Wednesday, December 9, until Wednesday, December 16, all students will be fully remote. Currently, the plan is for students to return to in-person instruction on Thursday, December 17. We will continue to communicate about any changes and updates. 

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 8, all PK-5 students, and Middle/High students in Pod A will attend school, as usual, to prepare for this remote learning period and gather their learning materials. If you have been directly contacted by a COVID-19 Coordinator you should remain in quarantine as discussed. 

We all want very much to be together as a learning community. During this period of remote learning, it is very important that you stay home, and do not socialize or gather with anyone you do not live with. It is critically important that everyone in our learning community continues to carefully follow health and safety guidelines so we can learn together in-person again soon.  

COVID-19 Testing in Winooski

COVID-19 testing is available in Winooski for the rest of December at the O’Brien Community Center. 

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday testing will be from 9:00 am-2:00 pm. 
• Thursday testing will be from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm. 

Pre-registration is required online.

Thank you for doing everything you can to keep our community safe and healthy. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the WSD COVID-19 hotline, 802-556-2243. 

Take care,

Sean McMannon, Superintendent

Dear WSD Families, Staff, and Community,

December 2, 2020 – I am writing to let you know that another member of our learning community has a probable positive case of COVID-19. At this time, we have no reason to believe there is any evidence of transmission occurring in the building between the two cases.  

While I share a deep sense of humanity with any member of our learning community inflicted with the virus, for the purpose of clarity, I will refer to the two individuals with probable positive cases as case #1 and case #2. 

As of yesterday evening, the WSD COVID-19 Co-Coordinators concluded the contact tracing for case #1. If you have not been contacted, that means you and/or your child are not considered a close contact of case #1.

This evening, the WSD COVID-19 Co-Coordinators, in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) contact tracing team, followed up with all potential close contacts of case #2. If you were not contacted, it is because you and/or your child are not a close contact.

We are working with the Health Department to keep our community safe.

While these are the first probable positive cases in our district, these are not the first positive cases for the Health Department or in other schools. I feel confident that our district is in good hands with the team working on our two probable cases. We continue to work closely with their team and carefully follow their guidance. 

Infected individuals, or close contacts of those individuals, will not return to the WSD until they are healthy. As a district, we will continue to follow the proven mitigation strategies that have kept everyone healthy thus far. At this point, based on a variety of carefully considered factors, our schools will remain open for in-person instruction. 

Thank you for your continued efforts and compassion during these challenging times.  

As always, if you have any questions, please call the COVID-19 hotline: 802-556-2243. 

Sincerely, 

Sean McMannon, Superintendent