Important Upcoming Dates
- Kindergarten through 5th grades remote April 5 – 7
- Tuesday, April 6 and Friday, April 9 – Early dismissal for all students at 11am. (Parent-teacher conferences for JFK students)
- Veggie VanGo April 7 & 14 9-10am at the WSD
- No School April 19 through 23
- View the updated WSD School Calendar
Dear WSD Families,
A high percentage of our elementary school staff will be getting their 2nd COVID-19 vaccine next Monday and Tuesday. Because many people in the age range of our staff have experienced harsh side effects after the second vaccine, coupled with a lack of substitute teacher availability, our leadership team has made the decision that all students in Kindergarten through 5th grade will move to a fully remote learning schedule on Monday, April 5 through Wednesday, April 7.
Next Monday through Wednesday are learning days for students. Teachers will communicate learning plans for those days this week. Please make sure your child is at school on Friday to get any necessary take-home school work for next week. Parent/Teacher conferences will still be held as scheduled on Tuesday.
Middle School Four-Days-Per-Week In-Person Starting April 26
Grades 6 through 8 will begin their four-days-per-week in-person schedule on April 26. Current in-school schedules will be staying the same. Students will have the same teachers and their same pod, however, some pods are moving rooms. Teachers will be sharing any classroom updates with their pods. If you have questions, please contact your student’s Podvisors or Principal Kate Grodin ([email protected]).
Construction Updates – New Main Entrance & Health Office
Starting Friday, April 2 all late students and visitors who arrive after 9am must enter the building through the JFK entrance.
The Nurses’ Office has also moved to JFK until the end of the year. Watch this video to see exactly where the new nurses’ office will be located.
Health Updates from COVID-19 Coordinators
Good news! No positive cases in our learning community have been reported to the WSD COVID-19 Coordinators. We have to keep it up by following health guidance including handwashing, diligent mask-wearing, and social distancing. As we see an end in sight to many of the incredible challenges of the past year, we can’t lose focus on keeping everyone healthy and our schools open today.
Vaccine Eligibility in Vermont
The Vermont Department of Health (VDH) continues to make vaccines accessible for more Vermonters every week including People 16 years or older with high-risk health conditions, primary caregivers of children with high-risk health conditions, and Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). Read about the eligibility criteria and how to register.
SRO Decision by the WSD School Board Postponed Until Next Week (Take 2)
Yesterday, over 130 people tuned in to the Special Board meeting to listen and share their thoughts about the district’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program. It was record-breaking board meeting attendance. We were excited to launch Zoom interpreter channels so that our meetings could truly be inclusive for all members of our community. However, technology let us down and we weren’t able to make the meeting accessible to all families. In fact, the meeting didn’t happen at all. Don’t worry – we’re still working on it! We will follow up on Monday with a new link for the meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7 at 6pm. Thank you to everyone who plans to attend the second meeting.
Superintendent McMannon’s Letter to the Board about the SRO
If you haven’t read it yet, please take some time to read Superintendent McMannon’s recommendation to the board about the SRO program.
Preschool Skills Screening & Pre-registration
If your child is or will be 3 by September 1st, 2021 and you are interested in one of our Winooski Preschool Programs or to pre-register for ACT 166 Publicly Funded Pre-k, please complete a Preschool Skills Screening & Pre-registration Form. For more information about Preschool, opportunities visit our WSD website. ELL families may contact their liaison for help with registration.
Thank you,
Sean McMannon