Update from Superintendent - March 12, 2021

Dear Weymouth School Community, 

 

This year, more than ever, it took a village. We’ve been through remote learning, hybrid learning, and we are excited to announce we are on the cusp of full time in-person instruction. 

 

We made it to this point with careful planning, and most importantly, collaboration.  We could not have succeeded without each and every parent, grandparent and caregiver who has filled a void in the village our students rely on. Many of you were asked to manage childcare, transportation, and remote learning all while often working simultaneously, taking care of other children, and managing your households.  Your social circles were strained, and physically distanced.  Support services were put on hold, and families were forced into confinement. For some of us, there have been moments that have seemed unsurmountable.  We want you to know how much we recognize and appreciate your efforts. You’ve done an exceptional job. 

 

Weymouth Public Schools has worked in partnership with state officials, Mayor Bob Hedlund, the Board of Health, Department of Public Works, Public Safety, and Emergency Management.  We followed the lead of our own talented personnel, including Elaine Lane and the School Nurse Department, whose efforts have been nothing short of extraordinary. We established task forces, carried out surveillance testing, and developed policies and protocols to keep our students, staff and their families safe.

 

To our entire school staff who rose to the challenge to adapt to circumstances that never before existed in our district’s history, who stepped up to ensure our schools can reopen safely, thank you. 

 

Today, we are thrilled to announce school task forces are developing plans to return students to school for in-person learning a full five days per week this school year. Once approved, those plans will return all elementary students (grades K-5) by April 5, and middle school students (grades 6-8) by April 28.  Dates to return high school students have not been determined, but are expected to be set in April by DESE. We are hopeful all K-12 students can return to five day in-person learning by the end of April, and will keep our families informed of schedule updates, and all return to school information as it becomes available. 

 

Some of our school staff have already obtained vaccine appointments through CVS retail stores.  As of yesterday, school staff is now eligible to receive the vaccine anywhere under Phase 2 of the state’s distribution plan.  In addition, Governor Baker has identified specific vaccination sites for school staff on March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 11.  Staff can pre-register on the state’s website: vaccinesignup.mass.gov to request an appointment.

 

We owe it to our students and families to make the remainder of this year the best it can be. They’ve done their part, and as your Superintendent, I want you to know we’re doing ours too.  We are revisiting our safety practices and guidelines.  We are developing an easy to use COVID-19 dashboard and information center accessible on our website. We are examining learning areas in every school building to find ways to maximize space and adhere to safety guidelines. We will communicate updates and changes every step of the way, and we will continue to remind everyone to adhere to safety precautions set forth by the CDC and local health officials. 

 

The vaccination process has started.  Our directives from DESE are clear.  Our teachers, staff, and administrators are ready.  We will remain committed to safety as we return our students and staff to school buildings full time in the coming weeks.   It’s time we begin to rebuild our village, together. Let’s do this, Wildcats!

 

Respectfully,

Kathleen Smith, JD

Superintendent