🌿 Superintendent Mark Holodick shares a welcome back message for our school community: 👉 https://youtu.be/8pcu64d4Tr8
🔔 Reminder that there will be no school on Monday, September 1. Please plan accordingly. School will resume on Tuesday, September 2.
Please be advised that there may be increased traffic near Essex High School on August 30 due to the Essex High School Cross Country Invitational Meet.
We are so excited to welcome everyone back to school tomorrow, Wednesday, August 27! Share your first day of school photos with us by emailing them to communications@ewsd.org 📸😁
The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Thursday, August 28, from 3-6 p.m.
The pantry asks for proof of residence for each household in the form of a current utility bill with the physical address listed. In place of this, families may provide a current correspondence from a government agency or other official mail. Identification for each household member
may consist of a driver’s license, hospital card, insurance card, school-issued ID, or social security card or birth certificate.
As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry, and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food is provided by the USDA to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines.
The next food pantry distribution will be on Monday, September 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The pantry asks for proof of residence for each household in the form of a current utility bill with the physical address listed. In place of this, families may provide a current correspondence from a government agency or other official mail. Identification for each household member
may consist of a driver’s license, hospital card, insurance card, school-issued ID, or social security card or birth certificate.
As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry, and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food is provided by the USDA to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines.
The next food pantry distribution will be on Monday, September 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
🗞️ The Back-to-School edition of the Family Newsletter is now available 👉 https://secure.smore.com/n/rm94j
The new school year is right around the corner! Drivers, remember to watch for school buses.
Let's give a warm welcome to our new support staff across the District! Last week, all new support staff attended an orientation at Essex High School.
The EWSD Board recently gathered for its yearly retreat, as it prepares for the 2025-26 school year! They were joined by new student reps Cyrus and Emma.
The EWSD Transportation Department has sent bus schedules this week to all families who requested transportation through the Annual Student Update by August 1. Students who signed up after August 1 are served on a first-come, first-served basis and may be placed on a waiting list. Parents: If you have not received your child’s schedule, please check your spam/junk email folder. For any schedule-related questions, contact the EWSD Transportation Department at (802) 857-7077. All bus routes can now be viewed online at www.ewsd.org/transportation.
The EWSD has a mobile app to help students, parents, and community members stay up to date on what is happening in our schools from your phone! On the app, you can read the latest announcements, view lunch menus, and review upcoming events. The EWSD app is available to download for free - https://bit.ly/3q8ZBAY
The EWSD is pleased to present the updated handbook for the Essex Westford School District. This handbook serves as a guide to our school policies, procedures, and expectations and is a valuable resource for both students and their families. 👉 Visit www.ewsd.org/handbook to review it online.
👏 As we get ready to kick off a new school year, we want to give a heartfelt thank you to our amazing facilities team. You’ve been working hard all summer to get our schools ready, and your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thanks to your dedication, our students and staff will return to clean, safe, and welcoming spaces. We appreciate everything you do! 👏
Excellent performances last month from the Hiawatha second-graders during their talent show! 🤩
Hiawatha kindergarteners gave a heartfelt send-off to the third graders with their beloved flower ceremony. Each kindergartener gifted a flower, a hug, and a cheerful "see you down the road!" as the third graders get ready to move on to their next school — for many, that’s Fleming School! 💐
FMS and Westford were honored as gold-level asthma-friendly schools for 2024-25, while Hiawatha earned silver status. Read the full release: https://www.ewsd.org/article/2323389
Thank you to the Special Education Parent Advisory Council for all their work this year in supporting the EWSD. This group comes together to discuss how to improve engagement with families and the District on special education implementation and practices.
Hiawatha students and staff came together to celebrate Principal Grykien as she wrapped up her final year as principal. Several classes performed in her honor, followed by a schoolwide performance of a special song written by the students and staff. In a heartfelt tribute, each student presented her with a flower—a tradition she began at Hiawatha called the Flower Ceremony—making it a meaningful way to say goodbye.
Our team is working hard to ensure kids across our community have access to healthy, delicious meals while school is out. This year, we are proud to sponsor two summer meal sites locally, where children 18 and under can enjoy free meals in a welcoming environment. These meals must be consumed on-site (no grab-and-go). No registration is required - just show up.
- Maple Street Park Pool Concessions (Essex Jct.): Breakfast from 9-11 a.m. (Monday-Friday), Lunch from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. (Monday-Friday), Lunch only from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. (Weekends)
- Fort Ethan Allen - near the gazebo (Colchester): Lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday)
Families needing food assistance are welcome to visit the pantry! The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Thursday, June 26, from 3-6 p.m.
As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry, and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food is provided by the USDA to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines. Families not able to attend the pantry may call the Church office at (802)878-5745 Ext. 4 between 9 a.m. and noon today through Thursday to leave contact information so arrangements
for delivery can be made. Calls will be made to complete registration on Thursday morning, so please be sure to leave a number so that we can reach you at that time.
Visits to the pantry can be made once each calendar month- either on the second Monday of each month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. or the fourth Thursday of each month from 3-6 p.m. The next food pantry distribution will be on Monday, July 7, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
