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This website is intended to keep the Essex Westford community informed and engaged as we navigate COVID-19 and the 2020-21 school year. The updates listed below are a compilation of the District emails that families have received since the end of the 2019-2020 school year. We will continue to add to this as more information becomes available.
2020-21 Updates
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03.05.21 EWSD Free Meals Schedule (Tonight)!
The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free two-day meal kits for the upcoming weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby tonight (March 5) from 4-6 p.m.
We will also be distributing three or five-day meal kits on Monday, March 8, and one or three-day kits on Wednesday, March 10. See the times and locations listed below:
- Albert D. Lawton School, 9-10 a.m.
- Essex Elementary School, 9-10 a.m.
- Westford School, 9-9:30 a.m.
It’s important to note that these free meals are not only for families in need, and you won’t be taking away a meal from someone in need. By picking up the meals, you will be supporting your community. Funding is based on participation, so the more people that take the free meals, the stronger we can be for those that need us the most.
We hope to see you soon!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to EWSD Senior Child Nutrition Manager Scott Fay at sfay@ewsd.org or 857-7263.
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03.05.21 EHS COVID-19 Close Contacts
On March 5, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about positive COVID-19 cases that were outside of our District, but close contacts with members of our Essex High School community. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms.
Earlier today, our team met with the DOH to plan our response and we are confident that we have shared all the critical information with them. The members of our Essex High School community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining.
EHS will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Monday, March 8.
We are working with the Department of Health to keep our community safe:
- We continue to follow the Department of Health’s guidance for children, youth, and families.
- We will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Vermont Department of Health with all of our cleaning and disinfecting in our buildings.
- Employees and sick children will not return to work/school until they are healthy.
- Learn more about getting tested in Vermont.
The most important things you can do right now:
- Make sure your child(ren)/household is washing their hands.
- Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterward.
- Keep your child home if they are sick.
- Call your primary care provider if you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19.
What is COVID-19 and how does it spread? - Learn more here.
Thank you for understanding that, due to medical privacy laws, we are not able to release the names of the individuals with COVID-19. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we receive further information.
At this time, we ask our community for compassion and understanding for all who may be impacted by this virus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at: bcobb@ewsd.org
Sincerely,
Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent -
03.05.21 EWSD COVID-19 Cases This Week
The Essex Westford School District has learned about six members of our educational community who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) this week. These members were not in school to possibly expose others to COVID.
The positive cases were at Albert D. Lawton, Center for Technology, Essex, Essex Elementary, Essex High School (2), and Founders Memorial.
The EWSD only sends out individual communications around a positive COVID-19 case at one of our schools if that student or staff member was in one of our buildings while possibly infectious. In these scenarios, the positive cases had no school contact.
We would like to thank the families and staff who have kept our schools informed over the last 12 months when they may have been a close contact or have had a positive case in their family. Whenever one of our schools is alerted of a possible case or close contact, the District works hard to keep the information provided confidential, while also keeping our students and staff safe.
Each EWSD school will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Monday, March 8, 2021.
We are working with the Department of Health to keep our community safe:
- We continue to follow the Department of Health’s guidance for children, youth, and families.
- We will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Vermont Department of Health with all of our cleaning and disinfecting in our buildings.
- Employees and sick children will not return to work/school until they are healthy.
- Learn more about getting tested in Vermont.
The most important things you can do right now:
- Make sure your child(ren)/household is washing their hands.
- Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterward.
- Keep your child home if they are sick.
- Call your primary care provider if you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19.
What is COVID-19 and how does it spread? - Learn more here.
Thank you for understanding that, due to medical privacy laws, we are not able to release the names of the individuals with COVID-19. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we receive further information.
At this time, we ask our community for compassion and understanding for all who may be impacted by this virus.
For more updates related to COVID and how it has affected this school year, please visit our EWSD 2020-21 COVID Information page.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at: bcobb@ewsd.org
Sincerely,
Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent -
03.04.21 EHS Positive COVID-19 Case
Dear EWSD Community,
On March 4, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Essex High School community who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms.
Earlier today, our team met with the DOH to plan our response and we are confident that we have shared all the critical information with them. After speaking with the DOH, they assured the District that the person who has tested positive was not exposed to the virus at EHS. The members of our EHS community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining.
Essex High School will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Friday, March 5.
We are working with the Department of Health to keep our community safe:
- We continue to follow the Department of Health’s guidance for children, youth, and families.
- We will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Vermont Department of Health with all of our cleaning and disinfecting in our buildings.
- Employees and sick children will not return to work/school until they are healthy.
- Learn more about getting tested in Vermont.
The most important things you can do right now:
- Make sure your child(ren)/household is washing their hands.
- Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterward.
- Keep your child home if they are sick.
- Call your primary care provider if you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19.
What is COVID-19 and how does it spread? - Learn more here.
Thank you for understanding that, due to medical privacy laws, we are not able to release the names of the individuals with COVID-19. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we receive further information.
At this time, we ask our community for compassion and understanding for all who may be impacted by this virus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at: bcobb@ewsd.org
Sincerely,
Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent -
03.03.21 Summit Street Positive COVID-19 Cases
Dear EWSD Community,
On March 3, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about two members of our Summit Street School community, one in prekindergarten and one in first grade, who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms.
Earlier today, our team met with the DOH to plan our response and we are confident that we have shared all the critical information with them. After speaking with the DOH, they assured the District that the people who tested positive were not exposed to the virus at Summit Street School. The members of our Summit community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining.
Summit Street School will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Thursday, March 4.
We are working with the Department of Health to keep our community safe:
- We continue to follow the Department of Health’s guidance for children, youth, and families.
- We will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Vermont Department of Health with all of our cleaning and disinfecting in our buildings.
- Employees and sick children will not return to work/school until they are healthy.
- Learn more about getting tested in Vermont.
The most important things you can do right now:
- Make sure your child(ren)/household is washing their hands.
- Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterward.
- Keep your child home if they are sick.
- Call your primary care provider if you or your child have symptoms of COVID-19.
What is COVID-19 and how does it spread? - Learn more here.
Thank you for understanding that, due to medical privacy laws, we are not able to release the names of the individuals with COVID-19. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we receive further information.
At this time, we ask our community for compassion and understanding for all who may be impacted by this virus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at: bcobb@ewsd.org
Sincerely,
Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent