Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 22, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Center for Technology 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 tonight, 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 CTE. The members of our CTE community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

CTE will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Monday, January 25. 

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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has learned about two 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 Essex High School and the Center for Technology. 

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 this scenario, the two positive cases had no school contact. 

We would like to thank the families and staff who have kept our schools informed over the last nine 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, January 25, 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

Dear EWSD Families,

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 this Friday, January 22 from 4-6 p.m. 

We will also be distributing three or five day meal kits on Monday, January 25, and one or three day kits on Wednesday, January 27. 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 on Friday!

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.

Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 19, 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 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 Thursday, January 21. 

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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has learned about five members of our educational community, spread out over four different schools, who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) last week. These members were not in school to possibly expose others to COVID. The four schools were: Essex Elementary, Essex Middle, Hiawatha, and Summit Street. 

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 this scenario, the five positive cases had no school contact. 

We would like to thank the families and staff who have kept our schools informed over the last nine 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 tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19, 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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 14, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Founders Memorial 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 Founders. The members of our FMS community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

Founders Memorial will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Friday, January 15. 

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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free three-day meal kits for the upcoming three-day weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, January 15 from 4-6 p.m. 

We will not be distributing meals on Monday, January 18 as normal. Instead, we will be distributing two-day and four-day meal kits on Tuesday, January 19 at the 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 on Friday!

Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 13, the Essex Westford School District was informed that a member of our Essex High School community tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

Through our work with the Vermont Department of Health, we are confident that the person who has tested positive was not exposed to the virus at EHS. The members of our EHS  community that were close contacts have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

Essex High School will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Thursday, January 14, 2021.  

At this point, we have no reason to believe that this incident has any connections to the case that was detected this past weekend. We are confident that by continuing with in-person learning this week we are not putting our students and staff in jeopardy.  

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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 10, 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. 

Due to this, all EHS students and staff will take part in remote learning on Monday, January 11, and Tuesday, January 12, as the school will be closed to in-person learning. All EHS students who attend CTE (Essex, Islands, Georgia, and Westford) will also be remote. CTE students who do not fall in the previously mentioned category can still attend in-person learning tomorrow (Monday, January 11).

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 Essex High School. The members of our EHS community who were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

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 are 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

Dear EWSD Community, 

On January 8, 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 Essex High School. The members of our EHS community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

EHS and CTE will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on Monday, January 11. 

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 are 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

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, January 8 from 4-6 p.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 on Friday!

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District learned about eight members of our educational community, spread out over six different schools, who tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) over December break. The six schools involved were: Albert D. Lawton, Essex Elementary, Essex High School, Essex Middle School, Founders Memorial, and Hiawatha. 

The members of our EWSD community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and are quarantining. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. 

We would like to thank the families and staff who have kept our schools informed over the last nine 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 trying to keep our students and staff safe. 

Each EWSD school will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow, Thursday, January 7, 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 cleanings 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 are 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

Dear EHS community,

The Essex Westford School District believes strongly that school athletics play an important role in the development of our students. Our priority is to provide our student-athletes the opportunity to play the sports that they love in such a way that also preserves in-person instruction for all students. 

In accordance with the guidelines from the Agency of Education and the Vermont Principals’ Association, Essex High School will be having the following sports this winter: alpine skiing, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, hockey, and nordic skiing. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and guideline restrictions, there will be no indoor track or wrestling this winter. 

While the approach to student athletics for the various sports allowed may vary from district to district, our District has determined that EHS winter athletic teams will begin a phased-in start the week of January 11. A schedule of start dates and practice locations, by sport and team, will be announced by the end of this week to students and families. 

All teams, including hockey, will be given a day when they may begin coach-led training and practices during the week of January 11. However, the ice surface in the skating facility will not be available until January 18. The preparation of a safe and quality ice surface is a multi-step process that is currently underway.

Prior to the start of any in-person training and practices, the entire coaching staff will be reviewing COVID protocols and safety measures with the District’s COVID Coordinator. COVID preparations will also include the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the athletic department and individual coaches/practice facilities.

At this time, per the Governor’s emergency orders, only coach-led training and practices will be allowed and competitions would begin in late January if the public health data supports the change. 

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support as we continue to focus on ensuring the safety, security, and well being of all EWSD students and staff. If you would like more information, please review Essex High School’s Winter Athletic COVID-19 Guidelines, Procedures & Protocols.

Dear EWSD Families,

The EWSD Child Nutrition Program will continue to provide FREE meals at each of our schools for the rest of this school year! If you would like to access these free meals and support the EWSD Child Nutrition Program, please encourage your student to eat breakfast and lunch at school. You do not need to pre-order or register in advance. 

Free meals for our remote learners will continue as well. There is no pre-ordering, registration, or sign up necessary, just show up at any of our open sites listed below. The meals are intended for children 18 and under, but the child does not have to be with you to receive them. 

Meal Pick-Up:

• Wednesday remote learners can pick up one day worth of meals on Wednesdays at any of our three pick up locations (see timing and location information below)
• Cohort A (remote learning on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) can pick up three days worth of meals each Wednesday
• Cohort B (remote learning on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) can pick up three days worth of meals each Monday
• Fully remote learners can pick up five days worth of meals each Monday
• Anyone interested in or in need of meals over the weekend can pick up two days worth of meals each Friday at EHS

Drive-Thru Locations/Hours: 

• Albert D. Lawton School, 9-10 a.m on Mondays and Wednesdays
• Essex Elementary School, 9-10 a.m on Mondays and Wednesdays
• Westford School, 9-9:30 a.m on Mondays and Wednesdays
• Essex High School, 4-6 p.m., on Fridays

It’s important to note that our free meals are not only for families in need, and you will not be taking away a meal from someone who is in need. By picking up the meals or accessing meals at school, you will be supporting your community. Funding is based on participation, so the more people that we can feed, the stronger we can be for those that need us the most.

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.

Dear Middle School Families, 

At this time, it is important to note that there is no predetermination when or if we will need to close our buildings, or even one or two classrooms within a building, and teach fully remote. I am proud of our leaders for making sure we are prepared and ready so that we don't potentially lose important learning time. Please read a letter from our middle school principals below. 

Thank you for your support regarding your student(s) and our schools.

Warm regards,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

=====

Dear EWSD Middle School Parents and Guardians,

Greetings! As you know, we plan to remain in our present hybrid learning model until the time we are able to safely bring all of our students back to the building together again.

As shared in prior communications, we have been developing contingency plans should we need to pivot to a fully remote model for any reason. In the event we need to do this, our goal will be to provide as much consistency as possible for students by following a schedule that is closely aligned to our current hybrid model, while also setting limits on total screen time. We want both our students and teachers to stay healthy, and this requires maintaining a sustainable schedule.

You can expect our short term, fully remote plan to include:  

• Students in Cohort A will attend live classes through their teachers’ Google Meet links on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students in Cohort B will attend live classes on Thursdays and Fridays.
• Teachers will provide mini-lessons at the beginning of the class period, and guide students to their independent learning activities. Students will not be expected to remain online throughout the entire period unless directed by the teacher. Teachers will remain available throughout the class period to provide support to students as needed.  
• Students will continue to have the opportunity to check in with their teachers at their regularly scheduled remote check-in time for additional support.
• Students working with interventionists or learning specialists will continue to meet with these educators at their regularly scheduled times through Google Meet.
• Teachers will continue to support students in experiencing success on their remote learning days by explicitly teaching the executive functioning skills necessary to support student progress in remote learning.
• Teachers will respond to student and family emails during school hours within a reasonable amount of time.  

Please reach out if you have any questions and thank you for your continued support.

Respectfully,

Kevin Briggs, EMS
Marcie Lewis, Westford
Jennifer Wood, ADL

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 28, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Albert D. Lawton 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 ADL. The member of our ADL community who was exposed to COVID has been contacted and will be quarantining. 

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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 25, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Essex Elementary community and a member of our Founders Memorial 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 two people who had tested positive were not exposed to the virus at EES or FMS. The members of our EES and FMS communities that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining. 

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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

On December 23, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Founders Memorial 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 FMS. The members of our Founders community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining.   

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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 22, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Hiawatha 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 Hiawatha or was never at Hiawatha while infectious. 

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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 21, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Founders Memorial 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 FMS. The members of our Founders community that were exposed to COVID have been contacted and will be quarantining.  

Founders will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled on December 22.  

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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 16, 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 Essex High School. 

Essex High School will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled.

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 cleanings 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. 

Sincerely,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 
bcobb@ewsd.org

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, December 18 from 4-6 p.m. 

This will be the last weekend meal pick up until Friday, January 8.

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 on Friday!

Dear EWSD Community, 

On December 16, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our Summit Street 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 Summit Street School. 

Summit Street School will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow (Thursday, December 17) for all families who have not heard directly from the school otherwise.

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 at Summit Street School.
• 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 are 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has been notified of a probable positive COVID-19 case for a member of our Essex High School community. 

It is the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) that identifies those who may have been exposed to the virus. After speaking with them, they assured the District that the person who has the probable positive was not exposed to the virus at EHS. Essex High School has already reached out to identify any close contacts with information about the illness, testing, and staying home.

EHS will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday, December 15). 

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 at each of our schools.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, December 11 from 4-6 p.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 on Friday!

As we quickly move into the wintry months, we wanted to share with you a few updates around school cancellations and remote learning. 

Recently, we sent out a survey asking all of our parents, staff, and students in grades 6-12 what you would prefer in regards to remote learning if schools were canceled the day of or the night before. We wanted to thank you so much for sharing your voices with us, as we had nearly 4,400 people respond! You can view the tallies broken down by group at the bottom of this document.

Updated Cancellation Information for 2020-2021

COVID Related School Closures

• If there is a school-wide or cohort of students/staff who need to quarantine, there will be remote learning for the impacted school or cohort
• If there is a school closure due to a lack of staff to run a school in a safe and manageable way, remote learning may be possible depending upon the availability of teachers

Weather-Related School Closures/Delays

• If there is a school/District closure due to weather and/or road conditions that morning, there will be no remote learning
• If there is a school/District closure due to weather and/or road conditions the day prior, or if schools could be closed for several days due to a predicted storm and/or storm event, remote learning may take place if we have adequate staff 
• If a school/District needs to close mid-day due to weather and/or road conditions, there will be no remote learning that afternoon 
• NEW: In the case where the weather causes roads/sidewalks to be unsafe to travel on during our normal school commute time, but we are informed by our local public works departments that the roads could be cleared by 8 a.m., the District will operate on a two-hour delay for in-person, hybrid, and fully remote learning.
• Buses would arrive two hours after their normal time (if the bus normally arrives at 7:15 a.m., it will arrive at 9:15 a.m.)
• School would begin two hours later than the normal start time (if the normal start time is 8 a.m. - school will begin at 10 a.m.)

You can also view this information formatted in a table here. 

The Town and Village Public Works Departments wanted to share the following special winter alert message for Essex residents: Maintaining the Essex roads will be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The District will be notified by the Public Works Department as to what capacity we are able to clear the roads and sidewalks. It will also be posted on the Town website. 

As always, our partnership with our community public works in both Westford and Essex is important to us and we will be making school closing decisions on their capacity to maintain the roads.   

For school/District closings, the EWSD utilizes an automated emergency notification system which will contact families via email, and primary and secondary phone numbers listed with each school. The message will also be shared via the district’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, mobile app, school websites, and will be shared with local TV and radio.

For more information on how the decision is made to close schools, please read this Q&A. 

Like with everything else, we are in this together and we are all working to get our students to school safely!

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, December 4 from 4-6 p.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 on Friday!

Dear EWSD PK-5 Families,

It has been two months since we moved to five days a week in-person for our K-5 students and it has proven to be a great success for our student’s social-emotional well-being as well as their academic growth. We know that in-person instruction is best for our students and we are thankful that we have had this long of a stretch of five days a week for our youngest learners. 

In efforts to remain open and sustain in-person learning, we are unfortunately finding the need to reduce the number of days of in-person instruction for our K-5 students. EWSD students in kindergarten through fifth grade will be moving to four days a week of in-person instruction and one half-day of remote learning (Wednesdays). Our buildings will be closed to most people on the remote Wednesdays. Due to the lack of staffing, our system will not be able to offer childcare on Wednesdays, as we did at the beginning of the year.

This new model will begin the week of  January 4, with the first day of remote learning taking place on Wednesday, January 6. We will reassess this model in mid-February, along with taking into consideration Vermont COVID data, and how COVID is affecting our school district. We do not currently have an end date in mind for this new model. Our need to remain flexible and agile seems to be a theme for the past nine months.  

Implementing this new model in January will give families time to make adjustments and our teachers time to provide the students with supported practice during class so that on Wednesdays, during their remote learning time, they will be more independent and understand the expectations. Many of our classrooms have already been practicing in case we needed to close due to quarantining.

I understand that moving, yet to another educational model, will be stressful for families and this decision does not come lightly. We have seen an increase in staff and student absenteeism, with quarantining or COVID-like symptoms as the main contributors. Daily, staff absenteeism across all positions in the District has put a strain on our system, and now with COVID cases rising and flu season on its way, we anticipate more absenteeism.  

We have set very high expectations to maintain a healthy and safe learning environment for our students, but if we are short on staff, that is difficult to uphold. Giving our system one day where there will be fewer people in each of the buildings will be beneficial for many aspects.  

All EWSD grades K-5 will be in-person Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; all operations will run as normal, including meals and buses. On Wednesdays, schools will be closed for most K-5 students, but they will have a half-day of remote learning which will take place from 8-11:30 a.m. Students will take part in a virtual morning meeting and have a mix of live and recorded lessons. Wednesday seems to be the best day to move to remote because it is already an early release for these students and most of our students in grades 6-12 are remote on this day. This time will provide all custodians more time to support each other in cleaning the near-empty buildings during the day and giving all of the buildings relief for 24 hours.

Given the need to move from a five-day in-person educational design into a four-day in-person/half-day remote hybrid model for K-5, we will need to reconsider the special education instructional needs for students who are eligible for IEPs. The current hybrid design contained in IEPs has been developed for a two-day in-person/three-day remote hybrid model. Special educators will be in touch with families to discuss how this four-day in-person/half-day remote hybrid model will impact the hybrid IEP service page design the IEP team has already discussed for your child. It is important to note that Wednesdays will be a half-day of school for these students and special education for those remote days will apply to a half-day and not a whole day of instruction.

We know this will be a hardship on families, but we also know having to turn to fully remote would be even harder. We hope our new model provides the much needed relief on our system so that we can continue in-person learning four days a week. That being said, we will continue to follow the Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Agency of Education guidance daily.  

In summary:

• January 4, 2021, our K-5 schools will have four days of in-person instruction - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
• Wednesday, January 6 will be the first Wednesday of remote learning
• Wednesdays will be a half-day of remote learning (the buildings will be closed all day to most students and staff)
• Special educators will be in touch with families to discuss how this four-day in-person/half-day remote hybrid model will impact the IEP services
• This model does not affect our Pre-school schedules
• This model does not change the current 6-12 hybrid schedules or our CTE hybrid programs 
• Due to the lack of staffing, our system will not be able to offer childcare on Wednesdays, as we did at the beginning of the year
• Relieving the system one day a week will be beneficial regarding the high number of staff absenteeism we have seen
• With colder weather and more time indoors, this allows time mid-week for custodial staff to clean without people in the spaces
• Provides relief for all aspects of the system (including transportation, food service, custodial, and maintenance)

Respectfully,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent
bcobb@ewsd.org 

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has been notified of two members of our Essex High School community and one member of our Essex Middle School community who have tested positive for COVID-19. 

It is the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) that identifies those who may have been exposed to the virus. After speaking with them, they assured the District that the three people who tested positive were not exposed to the virus at EHS or EMS and have not returned to their respective schools since their exposure. If needed, contact tracers have already reached out to identify any close contacts with information about the illness, testing, and staying home.

If someone tests positive for COVID-19 but was not in school while they were infectious, the DOH has said that there are no additional steps necessary because others at the school are not at risk for COVID-19 exposure. EHS and EMS will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday, December 1). 

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 at each of our schools.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

Dear Families and Staff,

We hope you all enjoyed a few days off and were able to spend some quality time with your family.

On November 20, Governor Scott’s Executive Order suspended multi-household social gatherings. The Order prohibits multiple households from participating in the same social gatherings, including group trips, gatherings, related ceremonies, holiday events, parties, celebrations, and sharing accommodations with anyone outside of your household. At a recent press conference, Scott mentioned that 71% of positive COVID-19 cases in Vermont were connected to social gatherings. 

The suspension of multi-household social gatherings acts as an extension of the state’s travel guidance and in turn, the Governor has asked families to quarantine if they attend or host a multi-household gathering. We will not be asking students and staff this question upon their return to school. We do, however, expect families and staff to do the right thing and decide whether or not their student(s) needs to quarantine.  

There have been some questions as to whether or not having grandparents for dinner goes against this order. If the grandparents are in the children’s day-to-day life, such as providing daycare, then quarantining is not necessary. 

If quarantining is necessary, from traveling or attending a multi-household gathering, remember you will need to complete either a 14-day quarantine or a seven-day quarantine followed by a negative COVID-19 test.

If your student is quarantining as a result of non-essential travel or as a result of attending a multi-household gathering, there is not an expectation that the teacher(s) will provide work but there may be make-up work upon returning. The student will be marked as an excused absence (this is a change from previous communications when it was said that it would count as an ‘unexcused’ absence).

Traveling or gathering with those outside of your household and not quarantining puts our community at risk and the possibility of having to close our schools and go to all remote learning once again. If your family needs to quarantine, be sure to let the school know what dates your student will be out of school. 

If you have any questions, please contact EWSD COVID Coordinator Diana Smith (dsmith@ewsd.org) or the school nurse at your child’s school. 

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 
bcobb@ewsd.org 

Resources: VT Dept. of Health | EWSD COVID Updates

Dear EWSD Families,

I have the deepest gratitude for our EWSD families. It is our community working together that has allowed us to keep our children safe and engaged in learning. I am sure you share with me when I give thanks to our staff for making sure our buildings are clean, our children are fed and delivered safely to and from their homes, and that they are engaging in learning whether sitting at your kitchen table or in our classrooms. We are EWSD strong!

With travel restrictions and limited gatherings, our Thanksgiving will not be normal. My hope for our children is that we make the best of these days and we are able to create wonderful memories even though it will be very different this year. I hope new traditions will be created and the true meaning of Thanksgiving is cherished.

I wish you and your families a safe and happy break.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 

Resources: VT Dept. of Health | EWSD COVID Updates 

Dear Families and Staff,

Due to rising COVID-19 case counts across the Northeast, effective on November 10, the State of Vermont has suspended its leisure travel map and implemented a mandatory quarantine for anyone returning or traveling to Vermont.

Starting on November 14, Governor Scott’s Executive Order prohibits gatherings with people from other households. This includes both inside and outside gatherings, and in public and private spaces. People who live alone may gather with members of their immediate family living in a different household.

If you travel out of state, there are two quarantine options:

• Quarantine for 14 days or
• Quarantine for seven days and then arrange for a COVID test. The quarantine can end after a negative test result.

Traveling and not quarantining puts our community at risk. If your family needs to quarantine, be sure to let the school know what dates your student will be out of school. 

During the global pandemic, we have worked hard to build capacity to support students in-person, through a hybrid model, or in some cases 100% remote. Creating these options have relied on hard work, creativity, and leveraging additional resources. 

If students are directed to stay home for up to 14 days by the Department of Health and/or the EWSD because they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and/or they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, reasonable efforts will be made to provide instruction and/or accommodations and supports, so that students can continue to access their education, if healthy enough to do so. 

If due to voluntary travel,* a student needs to quarantine at home and miss in-person instruction, we can not guarantee that we will have the resources and ability to provide instruction and/or accommodations to access missed in-person instruction. 

If you have any questions, please contact EWSD COVID Coordinator Diana Smith (dsmith@ewsd.org) or the school nurse at your child’s school. 

The EWSD Nurses 

*Extenuating circumstances (e.g., travel for a funeral/memorial service) will be considered. Based on consideration of these circumstances at the school level, remote instruction and/or accommodations and supports may be provided. 

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under this Friday (November 20) from 4-6 p.m. just outside of the Essex High School guidance lobby.

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 who is 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 will not be distributing meals next Friday, November 27. Our next meal handout will be on Friday, December, 4.

We hope to see you on Friday!

COVID-19 testing was available for all EWSD employees on Monday, November 16 as part of Governor Scott’s testing initiative. As part of this plan, the EWSD will also be selected for another round of testing for those who are interested in December. Superintendent Beth Cobb, COO Brian Donahue, and EWSD Covid Coordinator Diana Smith are seen in one of the photos welcoming the 367 employees who took part, as the testing was held in the ice rink.

As we approach the holiday season and have many families wanting to travel or host guests in their homes, we think it is important that we share information with you in regards to student learning, quarantining, and traveling.

To slow the spread of COVID-19 as cases and hospitalizations rise in Vermont and throughout the nation, Governor Scott has implemented several temporary limitations on social gatherings and business operations. This includes suspending the travel map and requiring quarantine for any non-essential interstate travel. These measures became effective Saturday, November 14 at 10 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

To slow the spread, ensure hospitals are not overwhelmed, help schools continue to offer in-person instruction, and keep as many Vermonters working as possible, the State has targeted new mitigation strategies to address the areas that appear to be driving the spread. Since October 1, 71% of the cases associated with an outbreak are associated with an outbreak from a private party or social gathering.

We are hearing of students, all ages, traveling to other areas that are in red or yellow counties to play sports and for leisure activities. This requires the student to quarantine, as we do not want to put our communities and schools at risk.

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District will be distributing free meals for the weekend for all children 18 and under just outside the Essex High School guidance lobby this Friday, November 13 from 4-6 p.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 on Friday!

Dear EHS Community, 

The Essex High School has been notified of a presumed positive COVID case within our Essex High School community. After speaking with the DOH about this presumptive case, out of an abundance of caution our team decided it was best for some students, who potentially were in close contact, to go remote for the next two days. Those directly affected have been contacted by phone this evening. 

EHS is currently working with the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) and will continue to do so in the coming days.

*EHS will still be open as scheduled, as all students in the Gold Cohort will be at EHS for in-person learning tomorrow and on Friday.

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 at each of our schools.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 name of the individual with the presumed COVID-19 positive. We will continue to communicate updates with you as we receive further information. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at: bcobb@ewsd.org

Sincerely,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 

Dear EWSD Families,

Getting the flu vaccine every year is the best way to prevent infection with influenza, a virus that can cause many of the same symptoms as COVID-19, including fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and even death. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more important to be vaccinated against the flu to help prevent influenza, avoid a mistaken diagnosis of COVID-19, and preserve healthcare resources. There is no evidence that getting a flu vaccine increases the risk of getting COVID-19.

Getting a flu shot this year is particularly important because, like the flu, COVID-19 is a respiratory virus and we want to do everything we can to minimize having two respiratory outbreaks circulating simultaneously in our populations. 

Vaccination is recommended if you are:

• Age 6 months and older
• At high risk of complications from the flu, or if you are in contact with someone who is at high risk

The flu vaccine is available from your individual healthcare provider. The vaccine is also available at your local pharmacy. It is recommended that you call ahead and check for vaccine availability and to schedule an appointment if needed. 

Please let us know if you have any questions.

For more information and updates in regards to COVID-19 and the EWSD, please visit: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021 

The EWSD School Nurses

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has been notified of three positive COVID-19 cases. These cases involved members of the Thomas Fleming and Summit Street communities. 

It is the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) that identifies those who may have been exposed to the virus. After speaking with DOH, they assured the District that the three people who tested positive were not exposed to the virus at either of the schools.  

The DOH has completed its contact tracing and those who could possibly be at risk for COVID-19, have already been notified. 

Fleming and Summit Street will be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow (Monday, November 9). 

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 at each of our schools.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

Beginning this Friday (November 6), the Essex Westford School District will be offering free meals for all children 18 and under over the weekend. This service will be available from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Essex High School guidance lobby (to the right of the main entrance).

This will take place each Friday, through December 18, except for Friday, November 27. Over the next few weeks, the District will look at the number of meals served to determine if there is a need for the program and if it will continue.  

The EWSD asks that traffic enter from Main Street and exit at Old Colchester Road. Pick up will happen at the entranceway to the guidance lobby, and those taking part will then share how many children they are picking up for and if any gluten-free or vegetarian options are needed. Child Nutrition will then place the meals on a table for you. 

The EWSD will not be able to deliver these meals, but families who need them and are unable to attend are encouraged to ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to pick up meals for them. 

Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. We hope to see you starting on Friday!

Dear EWSD Families,

School nurses typically complete hearing and vision screenings for students in the following grades: pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12. 

These screenings will be challenging this year in regards to COVID-19 restrictions concerning physical distancing, cleaning/disinfecting, and inability to screen near vision. Due to these restrictions, the Vermont Department of Health has encouraged the completion of these screenings at your healthcare provider. If your student has had their hearing and vision screened within the last year and you would like the results recorded in their medical file, please send the results to the school nurse.

Given this information, if you would like your student to have these screenings performed at school, please complete this survey. Only families with students in the grades mentioned above should complete the survey if they are interested. You will have to fill out a separate survey for each child in your household that you would like screened. Please disregard this survey if you do not want your student to participate in these screenings at school. 

Thank you!

The EWSD School Nurses

Please also read: 

• Travel, Visitor, and Daily Recommendations for EWSD Staff and Families
• Latest CDC and Vermont Department of Health Guidance

Dear Families,

As we approach the holiday season and have many families wanting to travel or host guests in their homes, we think it is important that we share information with you in regards to student learning, quarantining, and traveling. 

Understandably, questions have come up regarding how to support students who miss their in-person instruction if they stay home when ‘quarantining.’ The purpose of this communication is to clarify our approach to learning when having to quarantine and to share thoughts about travel.

During the global pandemic, we have worked hard to build capacity to support students in-person, through a hybrid model, or in some cases 100% remote. Creating these options have relied on hard work, creativity, and leveraging additional resources. 

If students are directed to stay home for up to 14 days by the Department of Health and/or the EWSD because they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and/or they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, reasonable efforts will be made to provide instruction and/or accommodations and supports, so that students can continue to access their education, if healthy enough to do so.  Any absence will be considered ‘approved.’

If due to voluntary travel,* a student needs to quarantine at home and miss in-person instruction, we can not guarantee that we will have the resources and ability to provide instruction and/or accommodations to access missed in-person instruction. In these cases, absences will be considered unexcused. 

Traveling to a county or state that is deemed as red or yellow and not quarantining puts our community at risk. We are hearing of students, all ages, traveling to other areas that are in red or yellow counties to play sports and for leisure activities. This requires the student to quarantine, as we do not want to put our communities and schools at risk. In these circumstances, the expectation is that your student will need to make up the missed learning when they are able to safely return to in-person instruction. 

We understand that the holidays are going to be really hard for all of us and at the same time it is important to keep our communities safe and healthy.  Most of my family doesn’t live in Vermont and my mom is in an assisted living facility, it breaks my heart to think about us not being able to spend time with her or my own children. If we aren’t careful, we will be in the same situation as we were last spring and having to go fully remote. 

We need to do our part in preventing that from happening. We have protocols in schools to stop the spread and the state is doing a great job with testing and contact tracing. We are all in this together and we, as a community, need to do all we can to keep our schools open and our students and staff healthy and safe.

Please read the following from Leah Costello, an MD at Timber Lane Pediatrics:

“Parents, it is now our turn to step up and show that same level of commitment to our community. It is our job to keep COVID 19 out of the schools … We have a 3 step process to follow ‘Six foot spaces, Mask on faces, Uncrowded places.’ But parents, I think we can go farther than that. Think about what is truly essential in your day to day activities. If you really need to do an activity, then do it with safety measures in place. If you think about it and realize it is not truly an essential activity, then revise your plans to a safer alternative. The schools are making sacrifices for us and we need to do the same for them.”

If our school staff learn about a student or family who traveled to a red or yellow county, the nurse at that school will reach out to the family to confirm and if true, students will then be required to quarantine.

Please also take the time to review the following two important documents: the Latest CDC and Vermont Department of Health Guidance and Travel, Visitor, and Daily Recommendations for EWSD Staff and Families. You can also visit the EWSD’s 2020-2021 webpage for all information, frequently asked questions, and more related to COVID-19. 

If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.  

Thank you for helping us keep our communities healthy and safe,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent
bcobb@ewsd.org 

*Extenuating circumstances (e.g., travel for a funeral/memorial service) will be considered. Based on consideration of these circumstances at the school level, remote instruction and/or accommodations and supports may be provided. 

The following information is from the Vermont Department of Health ...

The document for COVID-19: Information for Families: Return to Child Care or Out of School Care Program Following Illness has been translated.

These links and many other documents can be found on the COVID-19 Translations page.

Dear EWSD Community, 

The Essex Westford School District has been notified of two members of our Essex High School community who have tested positive for COVID-19. 

It is the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) that identifies those who may have been exposed to the virus. After speaking with them, they assured the District that the two people who tested positive were not exposed to the virus on the EHS campus and have not returned to EHS since their exposure. 

If someone tests positive for COVID-19 but was not in school while they were infectious, the DOH has said that there are no additional steps necessary because others at the school are not at risk for COVID-19 exposure. EHS and CTE will still be open for in-person learning as scheduled tomorrow. 

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 at each of our schools.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

Dear EWSD Community, 

On October 12, the Essex Westford School District learned from the Vermont Department of Health (DOH) about a member of our school community who tested positive with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) at Essex Elementary School. We recommend that you take action to help limit the spread of COVID-19, even if your child is not experiencing symptoms. 

While we certainly hoped that we would remain COVID-free, we expected this eventuality and we are prepared with a plan to respond to it. Earlier this evening, our team met with the DOH to plan our response. We are confident that we’ve shared all critical information with the DOH and that they are poised to follow up with all potentially close contacts. On Tuesday morning (October 13), they will begin contacting all families whose students are potentially impacted. 

Please answer the phone if the Vermont Department of Health contacts you. A contact tracer may be trying to reach you with important information in regards to contacting tracing.

Contact tracers reach out to identify close contacts with information about the illness, testing, and staying home. Close contact consists of being within six feet, for 15 minutes or more, of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 during their infectious period, whether or not masks were worn.

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 at Essex Elementary School.
• 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 are washing their hands.
• Make sure your child is wearing a mask.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and then wash hands afterwards.
• 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 

Dear Families and Staff,

Dear EWSD Families,

With PreK-5 students moving to fully in-person learning starting on the week of October 5, we wanted to provide a few transportation updates: 

• Transportation will automatically extend current transportation patterns to all five days (for example: morning pickups only, or bus five days both to and from home)
• Students who nave non-regular patterns, or who need to make changes in their transportation schedule should submit another request via the transportation survey, found on the EWSD transportation page 
• State guidance still encourages families to transport children via car, bike, or walk rather than utilizing the bus if at all possible
• Wednesdays will operate routes serving K-5 schools (including Westford) and in the afternoons there will be a one-hour early release
• Wednesdays will not operate routes/trips that serve ADL, EMS, or EHS, including Westford EHS routes, Georgia, and the Islands
• Bus routes, stops, and times may see 5-10 minute variance from the current schedules due to higher ridership resulting in:
• Later morning drop-offs at schools for some routes
• Later afternoon pick-ups for ADL and most EMS routes

If you have any additional questions, please contact the EWSD Transportation Department directly at 802-857-7077 or transportation@ewsd.org

Dear EWSD K-5 Families,

Thank you to each of you who took part in the EWSD K-5 Hybrid Learner Family Survey that was sent out last week. Your participation has helped us better understand the number of families who would prefer to have children attend five days a week in-person and those who would like to go fully remote.

As part of the survey, if you had selected the option of ‘If possible, I prefer my child to move from the hybrid model to 100% remote experience,’ please follow up directly with EWSD Superintendent Beth Cobb (bcobb@ewsd.org) for more information. 

We would also like to share that there is a new Zoom link for the PreK-5 parent meeting with the Vermont Health Department on Wednesday, September 30 at 6 p.m. Please disregard the previous link and use this new link instead if you are interested in joining.  

Please reach out if you have any questions!

The EWSD Leadership Team

Hybrid Learner Family Survey | EWSD 2020-2021 Updates 

Dear K-5 Families,

Thank you for all of your continued support in helping us navigate your individual family needs across this time of significant change in our District to ensure safety protocols are met to reduce risk in a pandemic.

As you know, we will be moving from a hybrid model in K-5 to a full-time, five day a week program for students given the state guidance shift to a three-foot distance between students while masked. In this next phase, we will not be offering our current hybrid model as well as full in-person instruction. It would be unmanageable for our teachers.

We are aware that a few families are requesting access to remote learning instead of coming back full time in person for several different reasons that are unique to each family's circumstance. This communication will help us better understand how many people are interested in moving to fully remote. Please know, it does not automatically mean that we will be able to offer fully remote to anyone who requests it. We have some problem solving to do and this survey will help us do that.

It is important for you to know that we have limited capacity to add students to our remote academy at this time and we also prefer to see students together in their schools to address their learning needs if at all possible. That said, we are providing this survey to help us understand the need and to see if we can meet the requests of families to move to fully remote learning for K-5 students.

Please complete this survey to help us better understand the needs of EWSD students and families. It is important that you answer this survey for each of your children.

This survey needs to be completed by Monday, September 28 at 6 p.m. Thank you for understanding the need to receive this information as quickly as possible.

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Parents, Guardians, and Families,

Dear PreK-5 Families, 

As you know, our schools play a unique and critical role in our communities. This was the reason we made reopening this fall a top priority. We have followed the Vermont Agency for Education and the Vermont Health Department guidance for opening our schools in a safe and healthy manner. The reason we opened using a hybrid model was to decrease the class sizes so that we could meet the six-foot distancing protocol and to practice the other health and safety measures that we implemented in PreK-12. Our staff have worked hard to make our opening a success. 

Before the start of the school year, there was a robust and growing body of evidence strongly indicating that children younger than 10 are far less likely to transmit COVID-19 to other children or adults. Children of all ages are at a lower risk for acquiring infection than adults, and when infected, are also at far lower risk for developing severe illness. For these reasons, the Vermont Agency of Education and the Department of Health recommend full-time in-person learning as soon as practical, especially for children in PreK through grade 5. They decreased the social distancing guidance for this age group from six feet to three feet.  

Following the latest guidance, the Champlain Valley Regional Superintendent Association determined benchmarks that need to be in place for PreK-5 students to be fully in person. The benchmarks are: 

• Adequate staffing
• Well established practices and routines 
• And the Vermont Health Department suggests that our infection rates are safe for us to bring more students back

As superintendents, we know that this next phase for us will look different across districts due to different variables and situations.  

In the EWSD, we feel strongly that we are ready to begin to phase in full in-person instruction, five days a week, for our K-5 beginning the week of October 5.  

K-5 Phasing In Plan for the Week of October 5 (for students NOT taking part in the Virtual Academy):  

• Monday, October 5 - All K-3 students (at Essex Elementary, Hiawatha, Summit, Westford, and Founders) will attend school in person (fourth and fifth graders in Cohort A will also attend school)
• Tuesday, October 6 - All K-4 students will attend school in person (fifth graders in Cohort A will also attend school)
• Wednesday, October 7 - All K-5 students will attend school in person 
• Thursday, October 8 - All K-5 students will attend school in person (Evening parent conferences postponed)
• Friday, October 9 - NO SCHOOL (Parent conferences postponed - teachers will use this day in the transition from hybrid to fully in-person instruction)

On Wednesdays, we will have a one-hour early release for our PK-5 students. Over the past few years, this had taken place on Tuesdays. We are still committed to aligning our work across the District on equity, social and emotional learning, and a viable curriculum. This time that the teachers have together is invaluable.  

Bus schedules will be re-created and sent out to families. If you are capable of doing so during COVID, we will continue to encourage you to transport your children to and from school. The buses will also continue with the protocols that they have established during COVID. Students will be riding with students from different EWSD schools. Contact tracing will be implemented, as social distancing can be difficult to maintain on a bus. 

PK-5 parent conferences will be postponed at this time, but we will be working on updating the calendar to set a new date. This is also a discussion we are having for grades 6-12 and will have more information for families soon.

In moving to K-5 in-person instruction five days a week, we anticipate that some families may want to move to fully remote. At this time, with our enrollment, we do not have the capacity to add more students to the K-8 Virtual Academy. During the next few days though, we will be assessing the academy. Virtual Academy students will have the option to move to in-person instruction if they choose.   

Diana Smith, the EWSD COVID Coordinator, and I have arranged for a Zoom meeting to answer your questions around the health and safety of bringing our youngest learners back into the buildings. We are lucky that we have three members from the Vermont Department of Health able to join a Zoom on Wednesday, September 30 from 6-7 p.m. If you can not attend, we will share the recording. You will find a Zoom invitation at the bottom of this message.  

At this time, grades 6-12 will continue to use the hybrid model. The social distancing guidelines for these age groups still remain at six feet. 

This PreK-5 plan is subject to change if between now and October 5 we do not meet the three benchmarks I mentioned above.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  Feel free to email me at: bcobb@ewsd.org

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

EWSD PK-5 Parent Meeting with the Vermont Health Department

Date/Time: Sep 30, 2020, 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://ewsd.zoom.us/j/93029190306

Meeting ID: 930 2919 0306

Passcode: 878047

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,93029190306# US (Germantown)

+13126266799,,93029190306# US (Chicago)

Highlights: 
We want to remind parents that now that learning takes place both in the home and at the school buildings, teachers need your help in supervising and monitoring online behavior in the home environment as students interact with new tools and methods. 

• You have the right to tell us that you do not want your child to have their video camera enabled for video/audio conferencing (notify your teacher)  
• Students should dress as they would when attending school
• Students should join the video conference from an appropriate space in the home (such as at a kitchen table, desk, common space, etc., not laying/sitting on their bed or walking around with the computer in their hands) 
• Students should refrain from “showing their classmates around the house”

We are all in this together and the role of you as parents/guardians is crucial to its success!

Dear Families,

As we continue hybrid and remote learning with your students this fall, we know that there will be some learning challenges as we adjust to a new rhythm and build routines that work best for our students. We will continue to support virtual connections between teachers and students and see real value in supporting that practice. 

Teachers have reported enthused students gaining a sense of connection with their classmates and in keeping up with their studies. The means for connecting and communicating are varied and video conferencing, now not so new to many of our staff and students, is proving helpful in maintaining relationships with classrooms and individuals. 

We want to remind parents that now that learning takes place in this way, partially in the home, teachers need your help in supervising and monitoring online behavior as students interact with new tools and methods. This represents a real partnership between teachers, working remotely, and you the parent, overseeing your students as they learn remotely. 

With the advent of this type of learning, we have taken a renewed look at the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), as it relates to our teachers’ video conferencing with your child(ren) aged 12 and younger. We are pleased that two-way video and audio conferences between our teachers and our students are working well, but you have the right to tell us that you do not want your child to have their video camera enabled for this. 

This is an "opt-out" consent, which means that if you say nothing, we will take that as consent to allow your child to fully participate with both audio and video in these conferences. Discuss your preference to “opt-out” with your students’ teacher, and they can either suggest the student turn off the video, or they can toggle it off when students join. You of course also can opt-out completely from video conferencing (notify your teacher), but during this crucial time, we urge you to allow it so students maintain a connection to their teacher, classmates, and school. 

A few things to keep in mind as a parent/guardian of students using video conferencing to connect with classrooms:

• Students should dress as they would when attending school
• Students should join the video conference from an appropriate space in the home (such as at a kitchen table, desk, common space, etc., not laying/sitting on their bed or walking around with the computer in their hands) 
• Students should refrain from “showing their classmates around the house,” by walking around with their computer and showing the interior of their home. This can be very awkward for students that don’t want to participate in this activity.  
• A spot with good lighting is helpful. Sitting in front of a window does not work well, as the student will only appear in shadow. 
• Students should observe good etiquette when joining. If the teacher has not muted students, it is best to mute the microphone when not talking to minimize background noise. 
• Be aware of background noise from siblings, pets, and others in the room that might interrupt the conference. Again, mute yourself if you have background noise present and unmute when you wish to speak.  
• Students need to behave appropriately when in video conferences, much as they are required to do in physical classrooms. Parents/guardians need to take a role in this endeavor to help ensure student success. It is not necessary to lurk over their shoulder, but it pays to be attentive to their interactions. 
• Occasionally, there are things seen in the background that can be distracting.  We encourage parents to “monitor” these sessions, but also to be aware of too much “monitoring” and allow the teacher to run their classroom. 

Everyone is learning in some ‘new territory’ here. Video conferencing, though not new, is probably new to some of our students as they use it in this education scenario. We know it is still novel to many of our parents.  

We need everyone to remember that this remote learning during the pandemic is still about public education and while in a different form, still requires us to be diligent about a number of aspects:

• Students and families need to know that the EWSD is making every effort at protecting privacy rights and adhering to Family Education Rights and Privacy Act guidelines (FERPA). While video conferencing certainly presents new territory, the use of it is intended to continue your child’s public education during this pandemic. Recording of video, while deemed safe with FERPA concerns, still needs to be pedagogical in its approach and contribute to quality teaching and learning.  Students being subject to lengthy video recordings of classrooms can be problematic for sustained engagement. 
• Related to that, we are hearing of cases where parents are “inviting” classrooms of students into video conferencing sessions independent of the classroom sessions that teachers are organizing and facilitating. These appear to have originated from parents’ own accounts in Zoom or other means. The EWSD strongly discourages parents/guardians acting in any way as “educators or facilitators” of whole class video conference sessions. This could be a violation of a host of privacy stipulations and could serve in some student’s eyes to supersede a teacher’s authority in the classroom. We would appreciate parents refraining from this activity. 

Lastly, we are all in this together and as mentioned above, the role of you as parents/guardians is crucial to its success. Students should not be given unsupervised time online and parents should hold firm to limiting and monitoring time online beyond the school day.  

If you have any questions, please reach out to the EWSD Help Desk (helpdesk@ewsd.org). 

The EWSD Technology Team 

Dear Families and Staff,

The purpose of this correspondence is to inform you of our actions should we have a COVID-19 positive case. The Vermont Health Department will work closely with schools with concerns about suspect COVID-19 activity in schools. 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, help identify close contacts, and work in consultation with school leadership on school closure decisions. 

Below is a general list of what to expect and actions to take if someone develops symptoms while at school or if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in your school. 

School Districts will: 

• Notify parents/caregivers and staff that a person with COVID-19 has been identified at the school.
• Sample letter
• Encourage families to answer calls from the Health Department and participate in contact tracing. 
• Clean and disinfect all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, and shared equipment including frequently touched surfaces using a product effective against COVID-19. 
• Students and staff who have positive test results for COVID-19 will be required to isolate at home until: 
• At least 10 days have passed since symptom onset – or if no symptoms, date of test collection – and 
• At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications – and 
• Other symptoms have improved
• Students and staff who were in close contact with a person with COVID-19 should quarantine and stay home for 14 days since the last day they had close contact with the person with COVID-19. 

More information on quarantine can be found here:

• Vermont Guidance for Schools (AOE) 
• Information on accessing testing (Vermont Department of Health) 
• Information on Contact Tracing (Vermont Department of Health)
• Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting (CDC) 
• COVID-19 and Children (CDC) 
• Helping Children Cope with Emergencies (CDC)

Survey Link

Dear EES, Founders, and Westford Families,

Following up on the information you all received yesterday about after school care, we would like to clarify that the EJRP Afterschool Programming replaces the services which previously were offered by the Greater Burlington YMCA. The Y has been a fantastic, long-time partner of the District and has served families extraordinary well over the years. We understand any and all the disappointment the decision may cause. Due to complications and uncertainties as a result of COVID, the District believed this change was the way we could be sure we would offer after school care starting on the first day of school at all of our EWSD schools.

For the dozens of EES, Founders, and Westford families that have already registered for EJRP’s Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces, and included the Wednesday after school care, this decision will give your children consistency across the entire week. For others, you will be introduced to EJRP’s amazing program with highly competent professionals, many of which already serve hundreds of families across the EWSD.

We understand the change is abrupt and without warning. Under normal circumstances, we can’t imagine it ever taking place the way it has. However, we are incredibly excited about EJRP and its exceptional programs.

Survey Link

===

(Previous message from yesterday)

09.01.20 EJRP Afterschool Programming for EES, FMS, and Westford

Hello EES, FMS, and Westford Families,

We've been so excited to partner with the Essex Westford School District this school year to offer supported learning spaces for days that your children do not have in-person instruction, which many of you have already registered for through an earlier process.

We're now happy to announce that our after school programming will be available to you, five days a week, and not just Wednesdays. We are so excited to share our afterschool programming and to get to know even more youth and families throughout the District.

Our afterschool programs are designed to provide enriching experiences and to foster a sense of community for youth, families, and staff through physical activity, creative expression, and social-emotional development. We provide a snack, outdoor play, and a variety of activities daily. We have been doing after school care for many years at other EWSD schools and look forward to expanding our services across the entire District.

Please complete this survey if you need after school care for your child on the days they attend in-person learning. If you don't need after school care on in-person days now, during the Hybrid Learning Model, but anticipate that you will want after school care if schools return to five days a week in-person, then you should complete this survey.

We are so thankful for the partnership we have with the EWSD, and we hope this creates an even deeper sense of community for all involved. We look forward to getting to know you and most importantly, getting to know your kid(s)!

Gratefully,

Maureen Gillard, CPRP
School Age Childcare Director
Essex Junction Recreation and Parks
We create community through people, parks, and programs.
75 Maple Street | Essex Junction, VT 05452 | www.essexrec.org | (802) 878-1376
Pronouns: She/Her

EWSD Superintendent Beth Cobb provides details on what school will look like for K-8 students who will be returning next week!

Dear Families,

The EWSD Child Nutrition Program is excited to announce that starting on September 8th, breakfast and lunch meals will be FREE for all students 18 years and younger. This service will be available until December 31, 2020, or until USDA funding runs out, whichever comes first. We will be serving breakfast and lunch meals and will not be selling a la carte items at this time, therefore, student accounts will not be needed. When a la carte items become available again, we will begin using student meal accounts for those purchases. 

We are asking that families still continue to apply for free/reduced meals because this provides many benefits for our District. The application process is easy and very quick! You can access the online applications at www.MySchoolApps.com. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have reorganized the way that breakfast and lunch is served. 

In-Person Learning in our K-8 Schools

• No pre-order is needed
• All breakfast meals will be delivered to classrooms before students arrive. Meals will be available for every student in the classroom but they can choose not to have a meal.
• Lunch will be served in the cafeteria but will be consumed in classrooms.

In-Person Learning at EHS

• No pre-order is needed
• Breakfast and lunch will be served at a variety of kiosks located throughout the building. 
• Upon arrival to school and after health screenings are completed, students can stop at one of the kiosks to receive their breakfast meal.
• Students will be dismissed from their classrooms to receive their lunch from one of their kiosks and will consume their meals in their classroom. 

In-Person Learning at CTE

• Breakfast-No pre-order is needed. Upon arrival to school and after health screenings are completed, students can stop at one of the CTE kiosks to receive their breakfast meal.
• Lunch - All lunch meals must be pre-ordered and must be completed by the end of the school day on Friday for meals for the following week.  
  • Please use this GOOGLE FORM to order meals

Remote Learning Pre Ordered Meal Pick Up

• All families will need to pre-order their children’s meals and they can be picked up at the following locations and times:
• Essex Elementary School - Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-10 a.m.
• Albert D. Lawton School - Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-10 a.m.
• Westford School - Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-9:30 a.m.
• Preordering will be done via this GOOGLE FORM and can be completed by the end of the school day on Thursdays for meal pick up for the following week.
  • Cohort A (remote learning on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) will pick up 3 days worth of meals on Wednesdays.
  • Cohort B (remote learning on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) will pick up 3 days worth of meals on Mondays.
  • Full remote learners will pick up 5 days worth of meals on Mondays.

Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces

• All students enrolled in Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces will receive breakfast and lunch meals. No pre-ordering is necessary. 

Please visit the EWSD Child Nutrition website to view our menus.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Child Nutrition Office at 857-7333. 

Sincerely, 

EWSD Child Nutrition Team

If you have issues viewing the slides on your mobile device, you can access the presentation here. You can also watch the meeting thanks to RETN here. 

Hello EES, FMS, and Westford Families,

We've been so excited to partner with the Essex Westford School District this school year to offer supported learning spaces for days that your children do not have in-person instruction, which many of you have already registered for through an earlier process.

We're now happy to announce that our after school programming will be available to you, five days a week, and not just Wednesdays. We are so excited to share our afterschool programming and to get to know even more youth and families throughout the District.

Our afterschool programs are designed to provide enriching experiences and to foster a sense of community for youth, families, and staff through physical activity, creative expression, and social-emotional development. We provide a snack, outdoor play, and a variety of activities daily. We have been doing after school care for many years at other EWSD schools and look forward to expanding our services across the entire District.

Please complete this survey if you need after school care for your child on the days they attend in-person learning. If you don't need after school care on in-person days now, during the Hybrid Learning Model, but anticipate that you will want after school care if schools return to five days a week in-person, then you should complete this survey.

Dear EWSD Families, 

The purpose of this document is to establish consistent procedures throughout the Essex Westford School District regarding the wearing of face masks. As of Saturday, August 1, 2020, Vermonters and visitors have been required to wear masks or cloth facial coverings over their nose and mouth any time they are in public spaces, indoors or outdoors, where they come in contact with others from outside their households, especially in congregate settings, and where it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet (In Vermont, masks are now required to help prevent the spread of COVID-19).

Our school buildings and grounds are public spaces. Aligning with the Governor’s order, we are requiring facial coverings while in the building. When outside on our grounds, if adequate physical distancing cannot be maintained, face masks are required. Face masks are required on school buses and public transportation. 

Facial coverings may be removed during outdoor activities where students and staff can maintain physical distancing and have ready access to put them back on as needed when activity stops. 

There are some masks that are not appropriate for use at school. These include gaiters, bandanas, ball cap shields, and masks with respiratory valves. If a student wears one of these masks, they will be given an appropriate school mask to replace it.

It is EWSD’s responsibility to work with families to assist our students in wearing facial coverings in school. As we know from science, this protects them as well as others around them. We will be proactive in teaching the reasons to wear a face mask. When students who are able to wear masks do not comply with staff requests to wear their masks consistently and appropriately, administrators will intervene to correct the behavior in developmentally responsive ways that may start with redirection and go as far as to send students home until they are in compliance with masking expectations.

All conversations will begin with education about why masks are essential and required and families will be notified and included in the conversation. If students are repeatedly out of compliance with masking expectations, school administrators may need to go so far as to remove the option of in-person learning and move a student to the remote learning platform on a longer-term basis. The health and safety of other students, staff, and our community requires student compliance with masking expectations.

While cloth face coverings are required, to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we recognize there are students or adults who have a medical or mental health reason for not wearing a facial covering. In these incidences, they will not be required to wear one as long as there is documentation and our nurses have an established partnership with their health care or mental health provider. For students not able to wear a facial covering, a form provided by the school will need to be signed by the health care or mental health provider. Documentation is required, there are no exceptions. Lack of documentation does not mean that students will be denied access to instruction but it may result in remote learning.  

All adults dropping off or picking up children will be required to wear facial coverings.  

Stigma, discrimination, or bullying will not be tolerated and if we are made aware of such behaviors it will be addressed following our C10: Prevention of Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying of Students policy.

Schools will have disposable face masks readily available to students, staff, or visitors who do not have access to them.  

You can view all updates for families at: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

Dear EWSD Families, 

We are only days away from the start of the school year. There may be families moving into our region/state and families who have been on vacation or traveling. If your student has been out of state in the 14 days prior to the first day of school, we ask that you follow the State of Vermont guidance on travel restrictions. Contact the main office of your student's school if your student will need to quarantine at the beginning of the school year.

The Vermont Department of Health, in conjunction with the UVM Children's Hospital, has released guidelines for students with signs of illness. These guidelines outline when a student must stay home or be sent home from school during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines also state how long students should stay home before returning to school after an illness. These are statewide guidelines and they will be followed in all of our schools.

For those with known exposure and symptoms, you will need to contact your health care provider for testing and guidance. These symptoms include:

• Fever (100.4 or greater)
• Chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Lack of taste or smell
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache

If your student has been exposed to COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider or your school nurse for instructions.

If your child has not been knowingly exposed to the virus and has any of the above symptoms, keep your child at home. If they develop any of these symptoms at school, they will be sent home immediately. Please arrange for prompt pick-up. The expectation will be that ill students should be picked up within 30 minutes of notification. Please have a backup plan in place to support this expectation.

When your child arrives at school each day the following needs to be true:

• Your child is well and not displaying any of the above symptoms
• Your child has not been exposed to the COVID-19 virus

Based on your child’s symptoms and the Vermont Department of Health guidelines, you will be instructed by the school nurse as to whether or not we recommend contacting your child’s healthcare provider. You will also be instructed as to when your child can return to school. Your child will always need to be fever-free for at least 24 hours. They will also need to be home for at least 24 hours after symptoms improve or resolve.

If your child has a preexisting condition that may produce one of the listed symptoms, please contact your school nurse. We want to work with you to make sure your child is able to attend and remain in school. A note from your healthcare provider for pre-existing conditions should be provided to the school nurse.

The EWSD nurses are looking forward to welcoming your child back to school. Please contact us with any questions or concerns. 

Dear EWSD Employees, 

The purpose of this document is to establish consistent procedures throughout the Essex Westford School District regarding the wearing of face masks. As of Saturday, August 1, 2020, Vermonters and visitors have been required to wear masks or cloth facial coverings over their nose and mouth any time they are in public spaces, indoors or outdoors, where they come in contact with others from outside their households, especially in congregate settings, and where it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet (In Vermont, masks are now required to help prevent the spread of COVID-19).

Our school buildings and grounds are public spaces. Aligning with the Governor’s order, we are requiring facial coverings while in the building. When outside on our grounds, if adequate physical distancing cannot be maintained, face masks are required. Face masks are required on school buses and public transportation. 

Facial coverings may be removed during outdoor activities where students and staff can maintain physical distancing and have ready access to put them back on as needed when activity stops. 

There are some masks that are not appropriate for use at school. These include gaiters, bandanas, ball cap shields, and masks with respiratory valves. If a student wears one of these masks, they will be given an appropriate school mask to replace it.

It is EWSD’s responsibility to work with families to assist our students in wearing facial coverings in school. As we know from science, this protects them as well as others around them. We will be proactive in teaching the reasons to wear a face mask. When students who are able to wear masks do not comply with staff requests to wear their masks consistently and appropriately, administrators will intervene to correct the behavior in developmentally responsive ways that may start with redirection and go as far as to send students home until they are in compliance with masking expectations.

All conversations will begin with education about why masks are essential and required and families will be notified and included in the conversation. If students are repeatedly out of compliance with masking expectations, school administrators may need to go so far as to remove the option of in-person learning and move a student to the remote learning platform on a longer-term basis. The health and safety of other students, staff, and our community requires student compliance with masking expectations.

While cloth face coverings are required, to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we recognize there are students or adults who have a medical or mental health reason for not wearing a facial covering. In these incidences, they will not be required to wear one as long as there is documentation and our nurses have an established partnership with their health care or mental health provider. For students not able to wear a facial covering, a form provided by the school will need to be signed by the health care or mental health provider. Documentation is required, there are no exceptions. Lack of documentation does not mean that students will be denied access to instruction but it may result in remote learning.  

All adults dropping off or picking up children will be required to wear facial coverings.  

Stigma, discrimination, or bullying will not be tolerated and if we are made aware of such behaviors it will be addressed following our C10: Prevention of Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying of Students policy.

Schools will have disposable face masks readily available to students, staff, or visitors who do not have access to them.  

If you have any questions, please reach out to your building principal. To view all COVID-related employee updates, visit: www.ewsd.org/updates (must be logged in). You can also view all updates to families at: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

Hello Essex Westford School District Families,

Per the Vermont Agency of Education and Vermont Department of Health, parents/guardians are encouraged to transport their student(s) or have them walk/bike to school, whenever possible, to minimize the number of students on the bus and at stops.

For the 2020-21 school year, all new and returning students will need to be registered for to-and-from school transportation in order to access the school bus. If a student is not registered, transportation will not be immediately available for to-and-from school travel. This will allow students and families to distance at bus stops, and allow the district to minimize the number of students on the bus, assign seats, and support contact tracing if that should be necessary.

This document will describe changes to our transportation system due to COVID-19 along with other important information to know before the first day of school. A link to the transportation registration form is at the bottom of this document. Please complete a registration form for each individual student who must access to-and-from school transportation.

Please note that guidance is constantly changing, and we expect to provide updates. Information can also be found on our transportation website. For questions you can email transportation@ewsd.org or call 857-7077, which is staffed first pickup to last drop-off on school days.

Changes to EWSD’s transportation system for the beginning of the school year:

• Student masks are required, unless there’s an exemption form on file with the district. 
• Students will have assigned seats from the first day of school to maximize physical distancing on the bus, as the number of riders allow. The bus driver or bus aide will instruct students where to sit.
• Seating assignments will be arranged with pickup/dropoff order to maximize physical distance and keep family groups together. This may result in some younger students seated toward the rear of the bus.

• Adding or removing transportation for your child after school starts is possible, but it may take up to 10 business days. If you need to make a change, please notify us at transportation@ewsd.org.
• Check your child for symptoms and take their temperature before they go to the bus stop. If your child is sick or has a temperature 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, have them stay home. See our page on quarantining staying home when sick for more information.
• Students will need to sanitize hands immediately upon boarding the bus. Sanitizer will be provided.
• Drivers will wear masks.
• Bus Aides will wear masks and face shields.
• Buses will be cleaned between each group of students, and at the end of day.
• Cleaning buses between routes takes 10 minutes, and results in some AM routes shifting earlier, and some PM routes shifting later than previous years.
• We have attempted to retain routes, stops, and times as similar to last year as possible. This has some benefits:
• Allows us to provide you this link to route and stop time info on our website, to help decision making for families. Please note these PDFs will say “Mon-Tue”, however “Thu-Fri” scheduled stops and times will be the same. Links for bus routes have been updated on each individual school site  
• Familiarity for families, students, staff, and drivers.
• Changes from last year:
• Summit, Hiawatha, & Fleming trips are all combined on BLUE & GREEN routes. This allows cleaning time, & stops closer to school bells.
• Revised routing for the Western portion of Essex Town, routes 8, 10, 11.
• In the past, the EWSD has allowed up to three alternate pickup or dropoff locations per student. Due to COVID-19, we must limit this to a single alternate location per student, in whatever predetermined pattern families require. i.e. every day, only Tuesdays, just mornings, or just Monday afternoons, etc. The alternate location must be family, supervision, or care-based, as opposed to enrichment or extracurricular. 
• Green Mountain Transit (Public Transportation) information and updates

We understand the impact and inconvenience of a request to limit use of the transportation system, coupled with these changes. We are all looking forward to a time when COVID is in the past, and things can become more normal.

Please feel free to review our frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, please contact the EWSD Transportation Department directly at 802-857-7077 or transportation@ewsd.org

If needed, please complete this survey for each child to register them for bus transportation. Registration must be complete by Wednesday September 2nd to have students added to routes for the first day of school. Apologies for the very short timeline.

Dear Families,

As the time for us to go back to school gets closer, the EWSD nurses would like to give you some new information and some reminders.

Mask use:

• Wearing a mask:
• Students are required to wear face masks and should come to school each morning wearing a mask beginning the first day of school. 
• Each student will be provided with 2 cloth masks from the school district. They are currently delayed due to shipping. Please plan on your child wearing a mask from home or a disposable mask provided by the school until they arrive. 
• Students can also wear their own cloth or disposable masks.
• There will be an ample supply of disposable masks available at school for those who forget or need a clean mask. 
• Cloth masks should be washed each day. Students should have a spare mask in their backpack in case the one they arrive at school wearing becomes wet or soiled.
• Please label your child's mask with their name so that it does not become confused with another student's mask. Consider putting your child’s extra mask in a small container to keep at their desk for easy access and storage during lunch and snack.
• Masks should be considered a part of your child’s clothing. Consider practicing having your child practice wearing a mask for longer periods of time each day to become used to wearing it for the entire school day. 
• Your student may be around another student who cannot wear a mask for medical or mental health reasons making it important for those who can, to wear them appropriately. 
• There are some masks that are not appropriate for use at school. These include gaiters, bandanas, ball cap shields, masks with respiratory valves, and those with inappropriate messages. 
• Please do not put your child's mask on a lanyard.
• There are a few students who for medical or mental health reasons cannot physically wear a mask. For those students, a form that can be obtained from your principal, special educator, or school nurse, will need to be filled out. This will need to be signed by your health care or mental health provider. We want to do everything we can to assist your child in wearing a facial covering in school. This protects your child and those around them. 

Keeping everyone healthy:

• When your child arrives at school we are assuming that the following is true:
• Your child is feeling well and not displaying any symptoms of illness.
• Your child has not been exposed to another person who has tested positive for COVID-19
• Keep your child at home if they display any of the following symptoms:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue for an unexplained reason
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• New loss of taste or smell
• If your child displays any of the above symptoms at school you will be called to pick them up. Please have a plan so that you or a designated friend or family member can pick up your child in under 30 minutes. 
• If a close contact to your child is waiting for results of a COVID test, your child will need to stay home until results are received. 
• If your child is seen by your healthcare provider for symptoms of illness, please ask them to provide you with a written note indicating when your child can return to school. 
• If your child is newly diagnosed with asthma or allergies, please provide the school nurse with a note from the health care provider. This will be necessary if your child develops symptoms consistent with those conditions that would allow them to stay in school.
• We suggest that you keep a contact log at home. If there is ever a suspected case of COVID-19 in our community, this will assist the Vermont Department of Health in contact tracing.

More Information:

• Prescription medication drop off
• A reminder at this time, parents/guardians are not permitted in the school buildings
• Set up a time with your school nurse to drop off any inhalers, epi-pens, or daily medications prior to the first day of school. 
• A doctor's order signed by both you and your child's physician is required for these medications. 
• High school students may have different arrangements from the lower grades. Contact the high school nurses to make arrangements. 
• Please have your student leave non-essential items at home.
• Please send a labeled water bottle to school with your child each day. They will have access to the bottle filler to refill their water bottles. 

Yearly  Health Update Form:

The school nurses have included this link to the yearly health update. If you are able, please fill out this form in advance of the first day of school and return it to your child’s school nurses.

We are looking forward to seeing your children soon. Contact the school nurse in your child's building for any questions. The phone number and email address for each nurse is listed on our website. 

The EWDS School Nurses

Dear Families and Staff,

The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) has released joint guidance with the Vermont Department of Health on safely reopening schools. This document, A Strong and Healthy Start: Safety and Health Guidance for Vermont Schools, provides health guidance to school administrators and school personnel as they plan and implement the reopening of schools for the 2020-21 School Year in the context of COVID-19. 

This Frequently Asked Questions document from the Agency of Education responds to follow up questions from educators and administrators and is intended to clarify and expand on the guidance. 

Q1. What will the expectation for students and staff be who do become sick during the school year? Will they be required to stay home and self-quarantine for two weeks after being symptom-free? 

Staff and students should stay home if they have tested positive for or are showing COVID-19symptoms, such as cough, fever (100.4 or greater), shortness of breath, chills, fatigue, muscle pain or body aches, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Per the Health and Safety Guidance, students (or their parents if developmentally appropriate)will be asked every day to attest that they are symptom-free before the student attends school.

Students and staff can return to school after they have been sick with COVID-19 when they are no longer considered contagious. If a student or staff member has a fever of more than 100.4°F, but no specific diagnosis, they may return to school after they have had no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol or Advil. The pediatric health care community is working with school nurses to determine return to school decision-making algorithms after an illness.

Students or staff who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 may return to school after they have completed any Vermont Department of Health-mandated quarantine.

The Vermont Department of Health Epidemiology Department and Contact Tracing Team will work with schools and advise on any quarantine requirements for students and staff if they are exposed at school. The Health Department has also provided a framework for adult primary care to engage in shared decision making for school staff/educators to consider the risk of COVIDand chronic conditions.

Q2. May we require a doctor’s note before a student or staff member returns to school after being sick with COVID-19? 

Districts should consult with their legal counsel when drafting their policies, but in general requiring a doctor’s note to return to school is permissible but not a required strategy. 

Q3. Do kids that have tested positive to COVID-19 test need a negative test before returning to school? 

Any students who receive a positive COVID-19 test, at any school they attend, will receive direct support from the Department of Health on when it is safe for the student to return to school. A test may be part of that calculus but will not be necessary in all cases. The VermontDepartment of Health does not provide a return to work/school clearance letters. 

Q4. Will staff members who travel to a high-risk area be expected to quarantine? For how long? How will we know what a high-risk area or state is? 

The State of Vermont has determined that any county with less than 400 active cases of COVID19 per one million residents is now eligible for quarantine-free leisure travel.

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development has developed a map populated with raw data from Johns Hopkins University which uses multiple factors to determine how many active cases are in each county. Read the complete methodology for how active cases per million residents are being calculated. The aggregated data by county is also available.

Staff members and students who travel to a high-risk area must follow the Vermont Department ofHealth guidance for quarantine upon returning to Vermont. Districts may wish to limit out-of-state travel by students and staff for school-sanctioned or professional development events. All Vermonters, including educators, are encouraged to weigh the risks and consequences of travel to high-risk areas before doing so. 

Q5. What are the quarantine requirements for staff who live in a neighboring state? 

Per the Vermont Department of Health People who live near the Vermont border and regularly travel to and from a neighboring state may make day trips to Vermont for essential work, healthcare, and other essential needs like groceries or visitation for parental shared custody without quarantining. 

Q6. There are students whose parents have joint custody, but one parent lives out of state-based on custody arrangements. These students may be traveling out of state every weekend or every other weekend. Will they have to quarantine after each visit? 

Per the Vermont Department of Health Vermonters, people traveling for essential purposes, including shared parental custody, do not need to quarantine.

Q7. How will requirements to stay home or quarantine impact sick pay for educators and support staff?

Questions related to pay or benefits should be referred to your district or school representative, including questions about paid sick leave under the Families First CoronavirusResponse Act.   

Dear Families,

In light of the start of the school schedule for the Essex Westford School District (EWSD), the District has partnered with Essex Junction Recreation & Parks (EJRP) to help support students on days that they are not attending in-person learning. The program is being called “Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces,” and will provide supervised locations from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. for children in grades K-8. There will be no cost for the school day program. 

Registration Link | More Information

“We believe it is critical that students have a safe, supervised environment to be in when they are not at school,” said Brad Luck, Director at EJRP. “Additionally, they need to be well-nourished and supported in their academic activities when working remotely. We recognize that not all parents can or want to be teachers, and not all students learn well either from their parents, or from home, or in isolation away from their peers,” said Luck. 

Multiple spaces are being identified throughout the community to support the operations. They will be staffed by recreation staff and some school district staff who are capable of assisting students with their remote learning. There will be two dedicated blocks of time during each day for working on academic assignments.  Students will be in grade-level spans with other students from their schools.

The rest of the day will be filled with a variety of activities to provide an enriching experience for kids. Breakfast and lunch will be provided daily by the EWSD. In addition to the learning blocks, there will be group games, recess, arts and crafts, and other engaging activities.  

“This won’t be school and this won’t be childcare in a traditional sense,” said Maureen Gillard, School Age Childcare Director of Staff and Programs at EJRP, who is leading the Supported Learning Spaces initiative. She said students will be grouped by grade level or multi-grade levels together in the same space to allow for more targeted, age-appropriate, daily happenings.  

“We believe that, in addition to academic support, it will be critical to create opportunities for social interaction and physical activity to support the social and emotional needs and development of our students,” Gillard added. “We are confident that this program will serve all of those needs in a safe environment, and it will be fun!” 

EJRP has been providing care since March 18 in some form or another. It started as care for around 40-children of essential workers, which later expanded to 80, and this summer 180 kids were in camps each day. “We are well prepared for this and well-versed in the precautions that are necessary. Students and staff will be physically distanced, wearing face coverings, and washing hands often, with health screenings and temperature checks upon arrival,” Gillard explained.

Students will be dismissed at 3 p.m., while after school care will be available until 6 p.m. for a fee. Students will stay in their same daytime location for their after school care or walk or be bused to the aftercare site. Parents are responsible for drop-off and pick-up to and from the program, or students can walk or bike with parent permission in advance. 

EWSD Superintendent Beth Cobb is excited about the partnership to support student learners, families, and teachers. “We are hoping that the start of the school year goes well and that we will be able to provide the option for families to have their kids attend in-person instruction five days a week sometime this fall. Until then, we recognize the needs of our community and are happy to support this important initiative.”  

Cobb says that in addition to supporting the community, teachers need to feel confident that their children are being cared for when they are educating others. “Our teachers need to teach with the assurance that their own children’s needs are being safely met. We believe this will support them too.” 

More information about the Rec Kids Supported Learning Spaces can be found on www.essexrec.org, as well as details of how and when to register. The program begins on the first day of school, Tuesday, September 8, and will continue until five days a week in-person instruction becomes available.  

If you have issues viewing the slides on your mobile device, you can access the presentation here.

Dear EWSD Families and Staff,

Today we wanted to share some important milestones in our District’s COVID Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-related supply program. 

Here are some of the items we received this week:

• 2,170 Disposable Gowns arrived this week. The District is now fully stocked to meet the anticipated need for protective gowns for our school nurses for the entire school year!
• 1,000 Face Shields. The District has now acquired its supply of reusable face shields for the year. All staff will receive a face shield in addition to reusable masks. Extra plastic face shields will be strategically distributed across the district.
• 10,000 KN95 Masks were distributed to EWSD through a joint program with Vermont Agency of Education and Transportation.
• 5 Disinfectant Spray Foggers have arrived and are ready to be placed in the hands of School Custodians.
• Non-Medical Nitrile Gloves (Size Large) were restocked in this latest shipment. 

As of this week, the following PPE orders are in progress awaiting shipment to EWSD:

• 25 Disinfectant Foggers (in addition to 20 foggers already in our inventory)
• 200 32x32-inch Plexiglas Barriers
• 1,300 Reusable Youth Student Cloth Face Masks (Size Small)  
• 2,100 Reusable Youth Cloth Face Masks (Size Medium)  
• 5,100 Reusable Student Cloth Face Masks (Size Youth/Adult) 
• 400 SafeNClear Communicator Masks 

We intend to provide further communication about inventory updates soon as items arrive. It’s another way that the EWSD is preparing for a Strong and Healthy Start as we move toward a school reopening in September. 

If you have any questions, please contact District Operations at nwheel@ewsd.org.

Dear Families,

The EWSD school nurses are looking forward to welcoming our students back to school. We want to provide some guidance on how we can do this as safely as possible. Here are our current general recommendations: 

• Model and practice mask-wearing with your students. It will be expected that staff and students will wear masks in EWSD buildings. EWSD will be distributing two reusable, cloth masks to each student. When attending school, students should arrive wearing a mask and have a spare mask. If a mask is needed at any time during the school day, there will be cloth and disposable masks available in offices, classrooms, and health offices. In approved circumstances, a face shield may be worn instead of a mask. If you believe your student can not wear a mask/facial covering, please contact your school nurse.
• How to wear face coverings
• Discuss and model social distancing. Social distancing will be observed in EWSD buildings and on EWSD property.
• Demonstrate and practice proper handwashing techniques. Students and staff will be expected to practice hand hygiene upon arrival to school, prior to eating, after using the bathroom, when moving from one physical space in the building to another, after using a tissue for coughing or sneezing, after treating a cut or wound.
• Practice and model the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (>60% alcohol).
• Handwashing: when and how
• In general, only students and staff will be entering buildings.
• Food cannot be brought into the school for sharing and/or celebrations.
• Food allergy specific guidelines will be shared with families for individual classrooms.
• Water fountains will not be available. Please send in a water bottle with your student.
• Students will not come to school if they have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Students should not come to school if they have been in close contact with a person who has, or is suspected of having, COVID-19. Contact your school nurse for guidance on when your student can return to school.
• Per Governor Scott’s Executive Order, students must follow quarantine guidelines when traveling to certain counties in other states.
• If your student becomes sick with COVID-19 signs and/or symptoms during the school day, they will be dismissed promptly. For younger students, the expectation is that they will be picked up within approximately 30 minutes. For older students that are unable to drive or walk home, the expectation is that they will be picked up within approximately 30 minutes. 

Guidelines and protocols may change from time to time. We will communicate changes as soon as we are able. Please reach out to your school nurse with questions and concerns (emails and phone numbers can be found on the school websites).

*Please know that you can find updates around school reopening and more at: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

Sincerely,

The EWSD School Nurse Team

Dear Families and Staff,

To promote a strong and healthy return to school in 2020-21, the EWSD has developed a centralized Personal Protective Equipment and COVID-related supply program. This coordination will allow us to obtain necessary supplies and comply with state bid requirements.

The EWSD has joined the Food Service Directors’ Association’s statewide buying group to ensure the best pricing and service possible. Items available in the program can be found here. Additional items are being added to the contract as new needs are identified. 

As we move toward reopening schools in September, these materials are being distributed to each location so that our schools are ready for teaching and learning. These initial materials and quantities will be supported by the District maintaining an adequate on-hand inventory and setting reorder points. 

District-wide Face Coverings & Shields

• 2 cloth reusable masks per student
• 2 cloth reusable EWSD-branded masks per staff person
• 1 reusable face shield per staff person
• 1 package SafeNClear communicator masks for select Special Education/ELL staff
• Free-standing 32”x32”, tabletop plexiglass shields/dividers (for high traffic areas where face shields are impractical - schools will receive a supply of shields/dividers that can be placed at the discretion of the principal)

District-wide Instructional Classroom Kits

• 1 box of disposable three-layer masks 
• 1 14oz bottle alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• 1 1-gallon alcohol-based hand sanitizer with dispenser 
• 1 reusable face shield
• 1 box of nitrile gloves 
• 1 bottle of spray disinfectant
• 1 container of hard surface disinfectant wipes
• 2 reusable/washable microfiber cloths 
• 1 labeled caddy for storing supplies

District-wide Office/Department Kits

• 1 box of disposable three-layer masks 
• 1 14oz bottle alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• 1 1-gallon alcohol-based hand sanitizer with dispenser 
• 1 reusable face shield
• 1 box of nitrile gloves 
• 1 bottle of spray disinfectant
• 1 container of hard surface disinfectant wipes
• 2 reusable/washable microfiber cloths 
• 1 labeled caddy for storing supplies
• 1 non-contact thermometer 
• 1 box reusable masks for student

District-wide Nurse/Health Office Kits

• 10 boxes of disposable three-layer masks (youth/adult sized)
• 50 N95 disposable masks
• 50 KN95 disposable masks
• 5 reusable face shields
• 1 1-gallon alcohol-based hand sanitizer with dispenser 
• 10 boxes of medical and non-medical gloves 
• 2 bottles of spray disinfectant
• 5 containers of hard surface disinfectant wipes
• 6 reusable/washable microfiber cloths 
• 5 non-contact thermometers 
• 2 packages of protective gowns
• 2 boxes of shoe coverings

Transportation Supplies

• 35 boxes of disposable three-layer masks 
• 35 14oz bottle alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• 7 1-gallon alcohol-based hand sanitizer with dispenser 
• 1 box (50 count+) alcohol swabs (for cleaning face shields & thermometers)
• 2 reusable face shields
• 35 boxes of nitrile gloves 
• 35 bottles of spray disinfectant
• 35 containers of hard surface disinfectant wipes
• 35 labeled bus caddies for storing supplies
• 1 non-contact thermometer 
• 10 boxes of reusable masks for student
• 35 COVID safety reminder signs for each bus terminal 
• 5-10 disinfecting foggers with batteries/extension cords
• Extra fogger cleaning solution/tablets
• 5 gallon-size Ziploc bags for safe disposal of contaminated items
• 35 pedal-operated trash cans 

District-wide Safety Supplies & Equipment

• 2 disinfectant foggers (based on sq ft some schools will have more)
• 12-24 social distance floor decals
• Directional floor decals
• 3 sandwich-board COVID-19 stop signs
• 10-20 safety cones
• 5-10 a-frame traffic barricades 
• 2-8 retractable 10’ stanchions
• Visitor signage for all entrances

To view the latest updates from the District, please visit: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

The EWSD Leadership Team

Dear Families,

We have asked you to choose between a hybrid model (a combination of in-person instruction and remote) or fully remote. We know this is a difficult decision, and we appreciate your patience as we work on our models. We have included a sample schedule for both K-5 students and one for students in grades 6-8. 

As you are aware, on July 15, the Vermont Agency of Education issued guidance to support a strong and healthy start to the school year. As part of that guidance, the hybrid model was recommended.

The District has put together an outline for what the hybrid learning model will look like for our students when we return to school on Tuesday, September 8:

• K-5 Hybrid Model - Example
• 6-8 Hybrid Model - Example

Why the Hybrid Model?

• Return to school is student-centered, focused on social-emotional needs, and designed to keep our students learning at a high level
• The hybrid model affords the ability to offer in-person learning in the safest environment possible while adhering to the best practices of the guidance issued by the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) (allowing six-feet social distancing)
• The hybrid model will best address the health and safety of our students and staff given the current health data available
• Having fewer students in the building at a time will help reduce contact with others and allow for improved distancing. The smaller groups will also allow teachers and staff more time to assess the academic progress and needs of our students. 
• With fewer students in the building, we can better assist them in adjusting to new expectations while fostering healthy routines throughout the day, such as regular hand washing.
• The ability to use both asynchronous (not occurring at the same time for all students) and synchronous (occurring at the same time for students) teaching methods

We hope that this will help you and your family. I would also like to remind you to please finish the supplemental registration survey if you have not yet already done so. That is due by Friday, August 7.

For more information on the 2020-2021 school year, please visit: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District recently announced that schools will open this fall in the hybrid phase of instruction that would result in children coming to school two full days per week (Mon and Tues, or Thurs and Fri) for most students. The same is true for all districts in Chittenden County.

We know this hybrid model causes hardships for parents and their work schedules. The District and our community partners have been working together to provide a solution for child supervision during the three remote days. It is our hope that we can find state funding to offset the cost to families or at least have this offered at a reduced fee.

If you are in need of school-day child supervision during this hybrid phase, please complete this request form. This will help us to better understand the needs of our families and to inform our work with our community partners.

The deadline to complete this survey is Tuesday, August 11, 2020. This survey is ONLY for us to collect numbers so that we understand what spaces are needed in our community. Actual registration will need to be completed at a later date.

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb

EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families and Staff,

I appreciate your patience and understanding as we work together to provide the best possible, safe, and healthy experience for our students and staff. I wanted to share a few updates that have taken place since our last communication with each of you. 

• Vermont Governor Phil Scott has signed a directive officially making Tuesday, September 8 as the universal reopening date for Vermont schools. The Essex Westford School District was previously scheduled to welcome students back on Thursday, August 27. We are waiting to find out whether this will extend the school year further into June. 
• The EWSD Board met on July 28 and you can now view the presentation that was given on the reopening of schools, as well as watch the meeting if you missed it. The District is still working on answering all of the questions submitted at that meeting and will share the FAQ once it is complete.
• The Board will also be meeting this Tuesday (August 4). You can find the agenda and directions on how to watch the meeting on our website. 
• Families are encouraged to apply for free school meals. Everyone should apply because it helps your family save time and money, increases your school education funding, and it can help your community qualify to provide free meals for kids in the summer and after school. Many who apply are surprised that they qualify. This is a service that is available for ALL FAMILIES. 
• As a reminder: All families should have received a very important email that included a link to a supplemental student registration form. This is a quick turnaround (Friday, August 7 by 12 p.m.) on a very big decision, but the sooner that we have information on how many of our students are choosing hybrid or remote, the sooner we can efficiently and effectively prepare. If you did not receive this email, please contact the EWSD HelpDesk (helpdesk@ewsd.org). 
• You can find all updates that have been sent out over the summer and other information in regards to reopening schools this fall by visiting: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

Read the latest updates from each of our EWSD Reopening Task Teams below. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 

===

Operations Task Team 

• Building access will continue to be limited until August 15 to allow for staff to ensure that buildings are ready for the school year. Facilities have increased the capacity of air handling systems and will be operating systems continuously for improved airflow. 
• Operations continue to work with the Technology, Transportation, and Child Nutrition departments to ensure a strong and safe start to the school year. 

Resource Task Team

• Diana Smith has been appointed as the EWSD School Nurse COVID-19 Coordinator.  Diana has been the school nurse at Founders for the last 14 years. We have decided to post for COVID-19 Response Assistants to assist the School Nurse COVID-19 Coordinator. They will provide other general COVID-19 related support. 
• The nurses are developing standards for general cleaning expectations for faculty and staff, the safety of eating in classrooms, as well as guidelines for when students and staff need to stay home or be sent home. We continue to work with Diana to determine guidelines for plexiglass in schools.  

Instructional Task Team

• In the hybrid model, K-8 students will have daily time to connect with their teachers regarding social-emotional learning, literacy, and math targets/proficiencies during their remote days.
• The Agency of Education has issued guidance around the minimum instructional hours by grade level whether remote or in person. We are following these guidelines when planning the hybrid and remote models of instruction. 

Communications/Stakeholder Task Team

• Developing recordings for translated messages to alert non-English speaking families when new updates are sent out from the District.
• Creating a FAQ to share with families and staff that includes questions that came up at the EWSD Board meeting on July 28, as well as other general questions. 

Dear Families and Staff,

Vermont Governor Phil Scott has signed a directive officially making Tuesday, September 8 as the universal reopening date for Vermont schools. The Essex Westford School District was previously scheduled to welcome students back on Thursday, August 27. 

The update adds that this new start date provides schools with an additional week for staff to prepare and test out systems – both online and in-person – built over the past few months. 

We will continue to update you as more information becomes available. Please remember that you can find all updates related to the 2020-2021 school year by visiting: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 

If you have issues viewing the slides on your mobile device, you can access the presentation here. You can also watch the Board meeting online thanks to RETN. 

Dear EWSD Families and Staff,

With the hybrid instructional model now in place, our Leadership Team has been working around the clock to develop what this will look like for our families and staff as we reopen our schools this fall.  

All families should have received a very important email on Saturday that included a link to a supplemental student registration form. This is a quick turnaround (Friday, August 7 by 12 p.m.) on a very big decision, but the sooner that we have information on how many of our students are choosing hybrid or remote, the sooner we can efficiently and effectively prepare. If you did not receive this email, please contact the EWSD HelpDesk (helpdesk@ewsd.org). 

We understand that this is new for everyone and that you have many questions. With all of the information that the District has shared over the last few weeks, and knowing that the frequency will only increase as we continue to move forward, the EWSD has developed a website that will store all updates that you receive in one place, as well as useful links to help our families as we continue to navigate the effects of COVID-19. You can visit and bookmark this new site: www.ewsd.org/2020-2021

On Friday, Lynn Cota, Superintendent of Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union, and I had a chance to speak with the local media as part of a press conference on Zoom to discuss the Champlain Valley Superintendents Association’s plans for in-person and remote learning options for the start of the school year. You can view a recording of that press conference online. 

You can also read the latest updates from each of our EWSD Reopening Task Teams below. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent 

===

Operations Task Team 

• EWSD Property Services is creating an in-depth/comprehensive inventory of all buildings so standard and socially distanced occupancy for each space may be used for planning
• Have also secured adequate initial supplies for cleaning and disinfecting classrooms/office and will be distributing those over the next few weeks
• EWSD Child Nutrition will distribute meals to be consumed in classrooms
• Curbside pick-up of meals will continue
• Asking families to consider completing the Free and Reduced Lunch Form for assistance as soon as possible
• Once student cohorts are finalized, EWSD Transportation will build routes and determine final bus schedules. It's anticipated that transportation details will not be final until the end of August.  

Resource Task Team

• Authorized the use of District funds and resources to create an online registration form (and other necessary supports) for parents and guardians to complete to identify whether their child will return to school in the hybrid model or select full remote learning
• Currently surveying staff to determine their ability to provide in-person instruction and other services to students to further inform the details of the hybrid model
• The District has received some guidance and information related to accessing State and Federal COVID relief funds. It is anticipated that additional Federal funding will become available as we near the beginning of the school year. 

Instructional Task Team

• In the hybrid model:
• Attendance will be taken in person and remotely, details will follow. 
• We intend to maintain the AM/PM schedule and rosters for PreK in person
• We are collecting feedback and input from teachers to develop schedules that support our essential standards and learning proficiencies
• Social emotional learning will remain a targeted area of learning and instruction

Communications/Stakeholder Task Team

• Provided updates to staff/families on the hybrid model that will be used to reopen schools
• Finalized the website (www.ewsd.org/2020-2021) that will be used to store all important updates for the 2020-2021 school year
• Developed the survey that went out to all families, which asked if they would prefer the hybrid or all remote option to start the school year
• Working on creating informational videos for families and students  

EWSD Superintendent Beth Cobb, along with Lynn Cota, Superintendent of Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union, had a chance to speak with the local media as part of a press conference on Zoom to discuss the Champlain Valley Superintendents Association’s plans for in-person and remote learning options for the start of the school year.

You can view a recording of that press conference online.   

Dear Families,

I am writing to provide you with an update on our plans to reopen our school buildings. To start the school year, the Essex Westford School District, along with many other local school districts, will implement a hybrid instruction model that will include both in-person and remote learning. 

This plan to return to school is student-centered, focused on social-emotional needs, and designed to keep our students learning at a high level. Most importantly, a hybrid model affords the ability to offer in-person learning in the safest environment possible while adhering to the best practices of the guidance issued by the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE). Here’s how the hybrid model will work:

• Students will be divided in half, creating two groups
• Groups of students will attend school in-person two days a week and learn remotely three days a week 
• For example, half will attend on Monday and Tuesday in person, and then learn remotely Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, while the other half will learn remotely Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and then take part in in-person learning on Thursday and Friday
• Students and staff attending in person will wear masks and practice physical distancing
• Groups will be thoughtfully created so they best support families, including grouping family members together whenever possible
• We are working on scheduling and will have that information to families as soon as possible
• Students will be learning remotely on Wednesdays. We will use this day to provide individualized support to students, engage in professional learning and planning for our staff, and deep clean our buildings.
• I understand that many of you wanted five days of in-person instruction, at this point, we are unable to provide this and stay within the health guidelines. However, we are working with partner childcare providers to see how we can offer opportunities for those that need help during your child’s remote days. Our hope is to do this at a limited cost for you. Please know, we are making this a priority and hoping we can make it work.

While we all agree that nothing compares to the benefits that students receive from in-person instruction, after extensively reviewing the AOE’s guidance and evaluating how to operationally implement those requirements and recommendations in our schools, reviewing survey submissions from our families and staff, and consulting with our reopening leadership committee, we feel the hybrid model will best address the health and safety of our students and staff given the current health data available. 

Having fewer students in the building at a time will help reduce contact with others and allow for improved distancing. The smaller groups will also allow teachers and staff more time to assess the academic progress and needs of our students. 

With fewer students in the building, we can better assist them adjust to new expectations while fostering healthy routines throughout the day, such as regular hand washing. In these pandemic conditions, it is also imperative that we continue to improve our remote systems so that we can be ready to adapt if health data requires a shift to full remote learning again.

We are also preparing to offer a remote-only/virtual learning option for families. More information regarding this option will be available soon. Within the next few days, you will receive additional information that will allow you to choose which model (hybrid or remote) you would prefer for your child(ren) to start the school year. 

We acknowledge the hardships that hybrid and full remote models may place on families, including our own faculty and staff. Although it will be a challenge, we have heard from many of our families that the hybrid (blended) learning environment is preferred. 

By working together, openly communicating, and being creative and flexible, we can overcome these challenges together. That said, please understand there are many moving pieces to these plans, and we will need to adapt as the situation surrounding COVID-19 evolves and we receive further guidance from the AOE and the Vermont Department of Health. 

Finally, in addition to academic work, I want to assure you that our teams will work tirelessly to support your child’s social and emotional needs through this transition. School is going to look and feel different this year, and we know all of our students will need support. We are here for your children and for your family.  

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families,

The Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) provided guidance on an instructional model for all schools in the state this past week. Our EWSD Leadership Team is currently in the process of working with that information to develop a safe and healthy return to schools for both our students and our staff on August 27, 2020. We will share more information with you on what this will look like in an email later this week.

Between now and then, you can read the latest updates from each of our EWSD Reopening Task Teams below as well as a list of what we already know going into the fall.

Instructional Task Team

• No matter what the instructional learning model is:

• Students will be provided with multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate their learning

• Students will have daily opportunities for social-emotional learning and peer-to-peer connections

• Teachers will be available to provide instruction during the school day, and schedules will be designed to support flexibility as needed to maximize the health and safety of students and staff. This will include minimizing the number of transitions students will experience throughout the day where feasible.

Resource Task Team

• Determined it a priority to commit resources to a full-time, one-year School Nurse COVID Coordinator. This position will play a key role in helping the District prepare for and maintain a safe and healthy return.

• Agreed to assign budget resources to hire a group of COVID Response Assistants to help with a variety of needs that will be present in our schools when we reopen.

Operations Task Team

• Operations focused this week on the seamless delivery of meals by Child Nutrition Services that includes maximizing all opportunities within multiple frameworks of learning for the 2020-2021 school year.

Communications/Stakeholder Task Team

• Looking to create a video to help show safety precautions/measures for when students return

• Discussed ways to better reach families needing translation

• Developing a FAQ for families and staff

• Continued to work on a webpage that would act as the hub for all new updates

===

The AOE and Vermont Department of Health has provided the following as part of guidance on A Strong and Healthy Start:

• All staff and students will be required to wear facial coverings while in the school buildings, as well as outside where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Students who have a medical or behavioral reason for not wearing a facial covering should not be required to wear one and those decisions should be made in partnership with the health care provider and school nurse. Facial coverings may be removed during outdoor activities where students and staff can maintain physical distancing and have ready access to put them back as needed when activity stops. The use of clear facial shields for students and adults is allowable as long as they meet all of the health guidance of the Vermont Department of Health.

• Establish a COVID-19 Coordinator to establish, review, and implement health and safety protocols.

• All employees, including those already working, must complete a mandatory training on COVID-19 health and safety requirements

• All students and staff must have a daily health check at the first point of contact, where they will be asked COVID-related questions and have a temperature screening conducted

• If there is a case(s) of COVID in one of our schools, decisions about closure will be made based on guidance from the Agency of Education

• All students, staff, and contracted service providers should engage in hand hygiene multiple times per day

• Students are required to stay in an assigned section of the school yard as opposed to mingling with other classes

• Communal spaces such as gymnasiums and cafeterias should be closed for their intended use; these spaces, however, may be used as an extension of the classroom to allow for physical distancing

• The use of lockers and locker rooms will be prohibited.

• No outside visitors or volunteers will be allowed except for employees or contracted service providers for the purpose of special education or required support services, as authorized by the school or district

• Schools will coordinate with families, school staff, and community and State resources to assess and assist in the psychological and emotional recovery of staff and students

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families,

During this COVID-19 public health emergency and prior to the restart of our instructional school year, the Essex Westford School District must limit open access to its facilities to ensure the safety of its workforce, and by extension their families, and our communities as a whole. These restrictions come out of an abundance of caution and are intended to allow the District to focus on a strong and healthy start to the next school year. 

General access to buildings during this COVID-19 public health emergency, and prior to the restart of our instructional school year, is limited to EWSD essential workers and community partners offering school-age programming to our students and families. Otherwise, all EWSD facilities will be unavailable to families and the community members until further notice.

If the circumstances warrant, curbside pick-up or drop-off of materials can be arranged by appointment only. In extreme cases, where critical needs cannot be met electronically, virtually, or by curbside pickup/dropoff, in-person appointment or access can be arranged with at least 48 hours advance notice. 

In all cases, anyone accessing an EWSD facility must strictly adhere to the district’s COVID-19 Program and Exposure Control Plan which can be found on the EWSD website.

Dear EWSD Families,

The Essex Westford School District (EWSD), along with all public school districts in the nation, is facing unprecedented times during this public health crisis. It will be imperative for the health and safety of our students, staff, and community that we have sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectant spray & wipes, hand sanitizer, and other materials necessary to respond and control the virus.

For that purpose, the EWSD is embarking on a centralized purchasing process for select items. With our Property Services Department leading the way, the new system will be a central access point for nurses, administrative office staff, department leaders, and others to secure necessary goods and materials to promote health and keep our school facilities safe.

Some of the significant advantages of centralized purchasing are:

• Economies of scale resulting from the pooling and integrated overall planning of the routine requirements of multiple departments.

• Development of standard specifications for the goods and materials to be purchased, resulting in more uniform quality across the entire district.

• Reduction in inventories because of closer supervision regarding the number of materials on each purchase order and greater utilization of the available supply of materials through transfers and substitutions.

• Better and more responsive reordering and potentially improved delivery times.

This approach has already been met with success. EWSD Property Services recently processed 9,600 lbs (six pallets!) of new personal protective equipment, including face masks that were ordered in recent weeks. We are working hard to build an inventory of these valuable items to distribute to our schools as we prepare for safe reopening in the fall.

In anticipation of the need for quick access to cleaning materials, Property Services is also providing COVID Carry Caddies with a starter supply of cleaning materials, hand sanitizer, and masks. This is a new program that will grow over time as the District does its very best to procure and distribute needed PPE throughout the EWSD.

07.10.20 EWSD Reopening Family Survey - Input/Feedback Needed

Dear Families, 

A Thoughtexchange was sent to each family in the Essex Westford School District to ask for feedback on the following question:

“What’s on the top of your hearts and minds as we plan for a safe return to school?”

We had 1,949 parents participate, offering 2,582 total thoughts, and 65,991 ratings. You can read the full results from the Thoughtexchange here.

 Please know that our number one priority is to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, and the larger community as we continue to plan for equitable access to learning this fall. This was evident as well in the comments and thoughts from parents and staff alike.

Our district is following the guidance of the Vermont Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Vermont Agency of Education as we prepare for the many possible return to school scenarios.

One of the items that surfaced from the parent Thoughtexchange was around the wearing of facemasks. Following the Agency of Education and Vermont Department of Health guidance, facemasks/face shields will be required this fall for all students and staff, unless there is a medical reason that is provided. 

We greatly appreciate your feedback in supporting our collaborative efforts to ensure the health and education of the entire EWSD community. Please be on the lookout for a survey coming out in the next week for families with more in-depth questions around topics such as remote learning, transportation, etc.

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent

Dear EWSD Families,

This will be the first of many updates that you receive from the District over the next two months, as we look to keep you informed and engaged with how school will look when we return on Thursday, August 27, 2020. Within these communications, we will update you on what we know, what we are working on, and any changes that take place either within our system or at the state/national level.

The EWSD is in the process of creating a reopening plan that will be flexible and able to respond to changing COVID-19 variables. Our district leaders and principals will be working collaboratively throughout the summer to create a plan that is focused on the health and safety of our students, staff, and community at large. We will have decisions finalized and a plan in place by early August.

We will also be using the guidelines (‘A Strong and Healthy Start - Safety and Health Guidance for Reopening Schools, Fall 2020’) that were developed by the Vermont Agency of Education and the Vermont Department of Health and shared on June 17 as a resource in our planning efforts.

The EWSD leadership team meets weekly, but we have also broken out into four task teams (resources, instructional, operations, and stakeholders/communications) to dive deeper into some of the possible scenarios for what school will look like to kick off this fall:

1. Modified - Schools open with changes including social distancing, alternate schedules, and maybe even modified capacity

2. Remote Learning - At any point in the year, due to public health concerns, students may be required to learn remotely (e.g. spring 2020). We may need to close for a time period due to outbreaks even if it is for two weeks, we will be ready with remote learning.

3. Hybrid/Blended - Teaching and learning with some students at home and some in school. This may be in effect if we have large numbers of students having to quarantine or due to other health issues that require them to learn from home.

The District will look to gather input from all stakeholders to inform our plan and we will communicate weekly as this develops. In the meantime, you can help by sharing your thoughts taking part in this Thoughtexchange that was sent out yesterday.

We greatly appreciate your feedback to support our collaborative efforts to ensure the health and education of the entire EWSD community.

With gratitude,

Beth Cobb
EWSD Superintendent