Superintendent's Message to Families - March 26

Dear Weymouth School Community,

 

Many of our primary schools welcomed back second, third, fourth and fifth graders into four day instruction this week.  Our schools are filled with excitement as we become one step closer to five day instruction in every school in our district. 

 

Return to School: 

As a reminder, plans are in motion to return all elementary students grades K-5 on Monday,  April 5, and Abigail Adams Middle School students grades 6 and 7 on Monday, April 26.  Directives from the state have not yet been announced for return to school dates for high school students. However, school leadership will present plans to return grade 8 and high school students to Weymouth High School at the April 8 School Committee meeting.  The district is confident challenges can be safely addressed, and is fully prepared to move forward with returning all students to five day instruction as early as Monday, April 26.

 

Half Day Mondays:

With the return to five day in-person instruction, Mondays will remain a half day.  Students will be released from school during early dismissal times, and Monday afternoons for students will be asynchronous.  Monday afternoons for staff will remain professional development.  This time allows staff an opportunity to connect with one another to make evaluations and develop plans for the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of our in-person and remote learners as they adapt to new routines and challenges related to unfinished learning. 

 

Attendance Protocol:

When students return to school full time, a new attendance protocol will be implemented for the remainder of this school year.  The protocol addresses when students are eligible to “remote-in” to remote learning.  Remote learning will be reserved only for students who select full time remote learning for the remainder of the school year, or those who meet “remote-in” criteria due to COVID-19 to maintain safety in our school buildings.  The attendance protocol has been added to our COVID-19 Information Center on our website, which includes testing and vaccination information, resources, and return to school dates.  Please review the attendance protocol in its entirety here.  

 

COVID-19 Dashboard: 

In addition to the information center, we have developed a COVID-19 dashboard for easy to view information to keep our families informed of positive cases and quarantine information in our schools and district.  This information will be updated every week.  As of April 5, 2021, the district will no longer be sending out regular letters containing COVID-19 positive cases and quarantine information.  Instead, families can find this information on the dashboard.  In the case that a particular group, grade, or a school needs to revert to remote learning due to COVID-19 you will receive proper notification from your student’s school.

 

Transportation:

Transportation rates have been reduced for the remainder of the school year, and will be offered through the Pro-Rider program at a prorated amount of $50 per student, and $150 cap per family.  Applications and hardship waivers will be distributed by individual schools.  

 

Traffic Supervisors:

This week we celebrated our traffic supervisors during the first ever Massachusetts Crossing Guard Appreciation day.  It was a great reminder of the importance of every member of our staff, and the critical role they play in our district. We value each and every staff member, and recognize their contributions towards the safety and education of our students.  We look forward to recognizing more of the great work happening in our school community in the future.

 

Committed to Safety:

Weymouth Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students, staff and their families.  In light of recent events across our country, I would like to state how proud I am to be a part of a district that is committed to inclusivity, diversity, racial equity and social justice.  We are a district that condemns bullying, harassment, assault, and all forms of hate against any person or people.  We speak out against prejudice and discrimination, and work to promote equality and respect.

 

We recognize the last year has been challenging.  We are grateful to have an amazing community of school families to work with as partners.  We appreciate your continued support during constantly evolving circumstances. We strive to provide the best information possible, and ask that you continue to work with your student’s teachers, staff and principals during these changes.  

 

Right now, it’s all hands on deck to return to full time instruction as safely as possible.  Our teachers are being vaccinated, our principals are presenting plans, our staff are making changes everyday inside their schools to meet protocols.  CTE students built beautiful picnic tables and benches for outdoor dining and activities at our primary and middle school. We are ordering tents, creating learning spaces outside the classroom, and looking outside the box.   

 

This year has been challenging, but we are proving everyday we are up for the challenge.  

 

Thank you,

Kathleen Smith, JD

Superintendent

 

 

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