Dear WSD Families,
I hope you are all well. Our teachers and staff are back for inservice this week, and while things feel and look very different this year, we are all very excited to welcome students back to our learning community.
Below are some important updates and information.
Last Tuesday, Governor Phil Scott, Secretary of Education Dan French, and Vermont State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso made a strong case to reopen schools for full in-person learning.
This week, 16 school districts covering Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties, the Champlain Valley Superintendents Association (CVSA), have agreed to assess the hybrid model after four to six weeks of school. WSD will work closely with the CVSA, the Vermont Department of Health (VDH), and the Agency of Education (AOE) to determine whether to stick with the hybrid model, move toward more in-person instruction or transition to more remote instruction.
With the current low numbers of COVID-19 cases in our area, we believe transitioning to full in-person learning is possible. The Department of Health has shown expertise in responding to positive cases of COVID-19, helping to build confidence for our students and staff to return.
We will be using the first four to six weeks of school to learn the COVID-19 health expectations and procedures, our A/B pod routines, and assess social-emotional, literacy, math and other essential skills.
Following guidance from the AOE and VDH, our measured approach allows for schools to minimize risk and develop new routines. If our district is able to safely phase into a fully in-person learning environment, full remote learning through VTVLC will still be offered for families who choose that option.
This planned phased approach will only be attainable if the spread of the virus can remain contained and the guidance from the AOE and the VDH does not change.
The criteria to phase-in more students to in-person instruction:
- Sufficient staffing levels
- No or low COVID-19 activity in our community
- The ability to maintain compliance with the guidance from VDH/AOE
- New routines must be efficient, assessed, and adjusted to meet the needs of our students
Superintendent McMannon and the WSD leadership team will work in close collaboration with the VDH, using their guidance based on a number of factors, including the level of community transmission and other indicators used to assess the status of COVID-19 in our area during every step of the phased-in planning process.
VEGGIE VANGO – TOMORROW (FRIDAY 8/21)
The Vermont Foodbank will be in our district tomorrow with the Veggie VanGo produce drop. Community members are welcome to come to pick up cottage cheese, corn, cauliflower, oranges, peppers, and hopefully milk.
Please remember to maintain physical distancing (6-feet) between yourself and others and wear a cloth face mask. Do not come if you are feeling unwell. (You can send a friend or family member to pick up your share of food, if necessary.)
The produce drop will still be held in the same place near the main entrance in front of the school. Please park your car and walk up to join the line along the fence. There is overflow parking next to the middle-high school.
POWER SCHOOL REGISTRATION
As we prepare for the start of school, we need each family to update and complete their yearly registration forms. This year our school has switched to PowerSchool. All families have received a PowerSchool letter with their student’s SnapCode, which will automatically populate most required information. Please log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal and complete each form that is listed. You will need to verify or add information and then click submit at the bottom of each page. Please note this works best on a computer, using a Chrome Browser.
Every student must register by August 28th, before returning to school. This new system replaces the first day packet that has gone out in previous years. If you have any questions please contact Linda Casier at the JFK Elementary office, or Angie Small at the Middle High School.
REMOTE LEARNING OPTION
WSD is partnering with Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative’s (VTVLC) Collaborative Online School to provide remote learning for students. We will not be using Discovery Education as previously stated. The model will look different for students in K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. All K-12 WSD students are eligible for the remote option. Read more about the remote learning option here.
If you are interested in the fully remote learning option for your child, please fill out this form today (8/20). If you are not interested in the fully remote option, you do NOT need to fill out the form. Once you have signed your child up for the VTVLC remote learning option, Andrea Wheeland will follow up with more information.
For more information on the reopening of the WSD schools, please visit this website: https://sites.google.com/wsdvt.org/wsd-reopens/home
STUDENT MEALS
There will be no more student meals available until September 8.
If you are experiencing food insecurity due to the pause in meal provisions, we have grocery store gift certificates available to help. Please call or text Emily Hecker (802-338-7061) for more information.
When our regular student meal service resumes on September 8th, breakfast and lunch will be available for all students at no cost. When students are in-person at school meals will be provided in the classroom.
During our hybrid learning model when students are learning from home, rather than in-person at school, breakfast and lunch will still be available. Individually-packed breakfast and lunch meal bundles will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays while school is in session. Students will receive two-days worth of meals on Wednesday and three-days worth of meals on Friday.
Students who have chosen the fully remote option are encouraged to pick up meals on Wednesday and Friday, as well.
Meal distribution sites will remain:
- Winooski Family Center, 87 Elm St.
- O’Brien Community Center, 32 Malletts Bay Ave.
- Winooski School District, 60 Normand St.
In order to make school meals more accessible, we would like to know what times work best for your family.
Please fill out this survey on the best meal pick-up times for your family.
DENTAL PROGRAM UPDATES
Due to circumstances related to COVID-19 and because we want to maximize the time your child is in school learning, we have come to the difficult decision to put the transportation component of the school dental program on hold for the fall semester.
If your child(ren) is on the schedule for dental care this fall, Vermont Dental will contact you.
Parents/Guardians will have 2 options to choose from:
- You may keep the appointment or reschedule the appointment if you are able to get your child to VT Dental, or:
- You may choose to delay dental treatment for your child(ren) until the spring semester or when transportation is provided by the school again.
The WSD Tooth Tutor Tracy Towers and School Nurse Katharine Monje will assist families with accessing emergency treatment when needed.
Tracy will be at our district on both Tuesday and Friday mornings and will assess students with dental needs. Teledentistry will be used during the week whenever possible.
Please feel free to call Nurse Katharine at 802 383 6094 if you have questions or concerns about your child(ren) dental needs. We will reevaluate this for the spring semester and as needed in the meantime.
We look forward to a safe, healthy school year that helps your children deepen their love of learning!
Sean McMannon