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 today (Friday, May 7) from 4-6 p.m. 

We will also be distributing three or five-day meal kits on Monday, May 10, and three-day kits on Wednesday, May 12. 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. 

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.

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. 

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 on Friday (April 30) from 4-6 p.m. 

We will also be distributing three or five-day meal kits on Monday, May 3, and three-day kits on Wednesday, May 5. 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. 

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.

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. 

On April 17, 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. The members of our Essex High School 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 Monday, April 26. 

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

The Essex Westford School District has learned about one member of our educational community who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) this week. This member was not in school to possibly expose others to COVID. The positive case was at the Center for Technology, Essex. 

 

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 year 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. 

 

All EWSD schools will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Monday, April 26, 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 

Governor Scott has shared his Vermont Forward phased reopening plan and new guidance was released by the Agency of Education to discuss how schools would move forward with respect to this plan.

 

As part of this, beginning on April 9, students and staff who were not fully vaccinated (two weeks beyond their last dose of COVID-19 vaccine) and who travel outside of Vermont, should complete a PCR COVID test within three days of their return to the state. 

• There is no requirement to quarantine while waiting for the results of the test
• You are not required to provide the test results to the school in order to return.
• You are expected to notify the school nurse in your building or the EWSD COVID Coordinator (802-857-6322) if your results come back positive
• We encourage you to review the Vermont Department of Health Travel Guidance for further information on travel 

 

Please note, international travel guidance does not follow the same protocol. If you plan to travel internationally, please contact your school nurse in advance of travel. You will still be required to quarantine and obtain a negative result on a PCR COVID test before returning to school.

 

Despite this change in guidance from the state, staying home is still the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick. You should not travel if you are sick or have been around someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. 

 

Please review this information from the CDC about travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, if you are thinking of traveling. Please note that some recommendations are a bit different from the current Vermont Department of Health guidelines. All unvaccinated Vermonters should test within three days of return to the state.

 

If you travel, consider ways to reduce your risk. Continue to wear masks, maintain six feet of space between you and others, and avoid crowded places. Be sure to wash your hands routinely or use hand sanitizer, if soap and water is unavailable. Consider takeout when possible and engage in outdoor activities.  

 

We ask that you continue to adhere to the Governor’s guidance as we strive to keep our schools and communities safe. 

 

Thank you and have a great April break,

 

The EWSD Nurses