District Communications

Dear WSD families,

Congratulations to all our students and their families on another excellent week of school! The successful reopening of our schools depends on each and every member of our learning community following our new health protocols. We appreciate each of you doing your part to keep everyone safe and healthy. 

Congressman Peter Welch visited our school on Monday to see our reopening plan in action. He was very impressed with the way our staff and students adapted to the challenging new circumstances.

“Thanks to the teachers and staff in Winooski for showing me the safe and nurturing environment they have created for their students. I am in awe of the teachers, administrators, students, and parents who are trying to make back-to-school safe and successful this year!” 

– Representative Welch

Below are a few reminders and updates. 

Important dates:

• Picture Day for JFK: Sept. 21 and 24
• Picture Day for Middle High School: Oct 2 and Oct 6

HEALTH UPDATES

What Happens if There’s a Positive Case of COVID-19 at our School District?

The Health Department will work closely with schools with concerns about COVID-19. If a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in a student or staff member at a school, the Health Department will provide detailed guidance and information, perform contact tracing, and work in consultation with school leadership on school closure decisions. Read this document for more information. 

Mask-Up When you Drop-Off

We would like to remind all parents and guardians that you must wear a mask when boarding your child on the bus or dropping your child off at school.

Just as students must wear a mask at school, all students must wear a mask on the bus as well. Help everyone stay healthy and safe by wearing a mask when leaving your home.  

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER UPDATES

Today, middle and high school students received this message regarding the School Resource Officer position at WSD.

The message to students was adapted from this press release which was sent out publicly yesterday. A translated version of this memo was sent to ELL families in our district this evening. 

Since this issue directly impacts our students’ school experience, WMHS Co-Principals Jean Berthiaume and Kate Grodin are asking pod teachers to take time next week to support a discussion about the SRO position. Kayla Loving, the district’s new Restorative Justice Coordinator, will design some materials to support a safe and open discussion about this issue. Please contact Kate or Jean if you have questions or concerns. 

IT UPDATES

Student device issues and/or needing repair/replacement:

If your child experiences an issue with their WSD-issued device, please read this guide about repair/replacement from our IT department.

Wi-Fi Woes? Connectivity Issues? 

Try These Tips for Boosting Your Internet at Home!

Our district is sponsoring internet service for families who are current members of the Internet Essentials program, or who don’t have access to the internet at home. Contact Emily Hecker for more information (802-338-7061). 

AFTERSCHOOL UPDATES

Middle School Afterschool Offerings 

• Find our afterschool offerings for MS students here.
• Find out afterschool offerings for JFK students here.

We are so grateful for your support as we get through the challenges of these first weeks together. 

Thanks,

Sean McMannon, Superintendent

Dear WSD families,

The first few days of school have been a resounding success. After months of exhaustive planning by our Reopening Committee, I’m thrilled to announce that our students followed carefully designed protocols so they could come together safely to learn in-person. Having our wonderful young learners back in the building was an energizing reminder of why all of us have chosen to work in education. 

For students who started the week remotely, we are glad that everything went fairly smoothly, and their first in-person day also went well. 

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

• TODAY, September 10 at 5pm – WSD Virtual Learning Cooperative (WSDVLC) Open House.
• September 14 – WSDVLC begins.
• The middle and high school soccer season has begun. Find tentative game schedules on our website.  

MASK-UP REMINDERS

All students must continue to wear snug-fitting masks daily. Some short (15-minutes or less) mask breaks are permitted, for example, when students are eating in the classroom appropriately spaced apart and outdoors when students can maintain physical distancing. Ask your student’s teacher if you have any questions about our mask-wearing protocols. 

We ask that students and staff NOT wear valved or vented masks while at school. If your child prefers wearing a valved mask they may put on a cloth facial covering under the valved/vented mask.

Here is some info about vented or valved masks: The purpose of masks is to keep respiratory droplets from reaching others to aid with source control. However, masks with one-way valves or vents allow air to be exhaled through a hole in the material, which can result in expelled respiratory droplets that can reach others. This type of mask does not prevent the person wearing the mask from transmitting COVID-19 to others. Therefore, CDC does not recommend using masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent.

WSD VIRTUAL LEARNING COOPERATIVE (WSDVLC)

This evening at 5pm, all families with students who are enrolled in the WSDVLC are invited to attend this virtual open house to learn more about the Virtual Learning Cooperative. 

• Who: All families participating in in the WSDVLC
• When: Sept. 10, 2020 at 5pm
• Where: https://wsdvt.zoom.us/j/99163213610

Please note, the WSDVLC is not enrolling new students at this time.

WHAT PARENTS/GUARDIANS CAN EXPECT THIS FALL

Vermont’s health and education experts agree that children and youth need to continue learning, and that school is the safest place for that to happen. Schools in Vermont support the academic, social, emotional, and developmental needs of children. For some families, school is where kids get healthy meals, access to the internet, and mental health services that cannot be provided with online learning. Read more about the changes parents and students can expect this fall from the Vermont Department of Health. 

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER (SRO) UPDATE

MESSAGE FROM BOARD CHAIR TORI CLEILAND.9-7-2020

Currently, at the request of the School Trustees, the School Resource Officer (SRO), who serves as a Winooski Police Officer, is not reporting to the WSD campus on a daily basis.  However, he is reporting to the Police Department and remains available during school days to respond to any direct requests of students, teachers, or administrators at the WSD. 

21C AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS 

Find out more about our afterschool programs!

CAPITAL PROJECT UPDATES

Check out our latest aerial images of capital project progress!

Wondering about  the extra large hole in the ground near the JFK entrance? Sorry to disappoint our students, but it’s not a swimming pool…it’s a retention pond! There will eventually be two, both of which will be permanently fenced off once construction is complete. These ponds are an Act 250 requirement for stormwater run-off due to our building construction. 

STUDENT MEALS

Remember to pick up free student meals on Wednesdays!

Students can pick up three days’ worth of meals, two of which will be frozen so they can be saved until Monday and Tuesday if students are remote on those days. We will continue to do off-site distribution at the three sites.

• Winooski Family Center, 87 Elm St.
• O’Brien Community Center, 32 Malletts Bay Ave.
• Winooski School District, 60 Normand St.

Students enrolled in our fully remote learning option (WSDVLC) will be able to pick up five days’ worth of meals. WSDVLC students must pick up their meals from the school district on Wednesdays from 9am to 10am.

We are so grateful to welcome your children back to our schools and look forward to another day of strengthening our learning community tomorrow! 

Take care, 

Sean McMannon