EWSD News
News for EWSD Families and Community Members
May 13, 2020
Thank You For All That You Do
School is not closed; the buildings are closed. If you listen, you can hear the hum of hard-working parents, guardians, extended family, students, teachers, administrators, and support staff preparing to save the day in ways and means never before seen.
-Paraphrased from Peyton Anderson Twitter @PBL_Peyton
I know that our EWSD administrators, teachers and support staff are in touch with you regularly during this time of remote learning, but I want to say thank you for all that you are doing at home to support your children. It is not easy learning new platforms and taking on this new role for your child, while maintaining your homes, families, and jobs of your own.
I also want to say thank you for supporting our teachers as they work to implement remote learning for the first time. I have been inspired by the many success stories that have been shared with me, and also inspired by the dedication of our teachers, all other staff, and administrators to continually learn and adapt remote learning opportunities to best serve our students.
Your feedback is key in helping us get this right. Again, I want to thank you for your flexibility, patience, and partnership over the past few weeks as we launched the implementation of remote learning. We have worked together with passion and diligence to meet the needs of our EWSD children.
Please take good care,
Jackie Ramsay-Tolman
EWSD Director of Learning and Instructional Impact
In This Issue ...
District Updates
New Principals Hired at EES, Fleming, and EHS!
Play Smart and Play Safe - Outdoor Recreation
Message From the EWSD Nurses
EWSD Budget and Voting Information
Free Breakfast and Lunch
Coronavirus Food Distribution – May 15
EWSD COVID-19 Information
EWSD Essential Heroes
EWSD In The News
Happenings
Upcoming Events
EWSD Board Meeting
EWSD Job Opportunities
Important Links
EWSD Social Media
District Updates
New Principals Hired at EES, Fleming, and EHS!
The Essex Westford School District announced the hiring of four new principals over the last week, as each will begin starting on July 1, 2020.
Play Smart and Play Safe - Outdoor Recreation
Based upon the executive order, outdoor recreational areas such as tennis and basketball courts, as well as ball fields can open to the public as long as proper precautions and communications are put in place. Playground structures are to remain closed.
The Essex Westford School District will comply with the Governor's latest directive. We will begin making adjustments to access over the course of this week (5/11) and posting new signs when they are available. Please note, the new guidance is focused on general public use and still requires social distancing as well as other public health precautions.
The District will not be considering any facility use requests from groups/organizations at this time and no organized sports will be allowed to use facilities until the Governor modifies his executive orders.
Message From the EWSD Nurses
The EWSD nurses are available by phone or email for questions and concerns. We do want to share a few updates on staying well and thinking ahead to warmer and happier experiences.
Please know that pediatric practices are open. Most are still doing well visits/yearly physicals. They have very careful practices in place to keep everyone safe in their offices. If your child needs immunizations, please be in touch with your pediatrician. If your graduating senior will need a health form completed before attending college, think about scheduling that appointment now.
Please contact your physician if you are ill. Do not delay seeking medical care due to fears around COVID-19. There are excellent practices in place to protect patients.
Warmer weather brings more outdoor fun and unfortunately ticks! Ticks are out in Vermont. Please do daily skin checks for ticks when you go outside. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department provides tips on how to be Tick Smart and here are also some simple steps to do a 'tick check' when you come inside.
Bleach, rubbing alcohol, Lysol, and other disinfectants are meant to be used on hard surfaces with the use of gloves, but never to be used on skin, ingested, or injected.
School Nurses across the state are collaborating with educational leaders to keep our schools safe as we look toward the future. Please feel free to contact your school nurse with questions or concerns. Our email contact information is on every school site.
EWSD Budget and Voting Information
The EWSD Budget vote will now take place on Tuesday, June 2. Learn more about the budget, how ballots will be mailed, and view the annual report in the links below.
Free Breakfast and Lunch
Don't forget that the EWSD is still providing free breakfast and lunch to all children ages 18 and under, no application or prior approval is needed. Please spread the word to anyone you know. Since March 19, the EWSD has provided over 76,000 meals!!!
- Menu
- Pickup for packaged breakfast and lunch will be distributed - via a drive-through system - at the following locations and times.
- Albert D. Lawton School, 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.
- Essex Elementary School, 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
- Westford School, 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
- All meal pick up sites, drive-thru locations, and meal deliveries will be practicing the recommended 6-foot social distancing. Please help us all stay healthy by keeping this distance from others.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Scott Fay (sfay@ewsd.org) or call the Child Nutrition Office at 802-857-7333.
Coronavirus Food Distribution – May 15
Each household will receive one Farmers To Family Kit containing:
- 2 gallon of milk
- 1 box of meat (10lbs of grilled chicken filet/strip and 10lbs of breaded chicken tenders/patties)
- 1 box of fresh produce (15-25lbs of assorted vegetables)
- 1 box of Cabot dairy products (4lbs cheddar cheese, 1.5lbs American cheese, 2lbs butter
Each household member will receive:
- 1 box of non-perishable food (formerly known as “box meals”)
EWSD COVID-19 Information
As news continues to emerge regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the primary concern for the Essex Westford School District is for the health and safety of our students, staff, and community.
The EWSD has been following the guidance of the Vermont Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Vermont Agency of Education.
Click on the button below to stay up to date with all the latest updates from our District, as well as helpful links.
Katie Eaton
Sarah and Kyle Trudo
Sara Tessitore
EWSD In the News
- EWSD helps community express gratitude through art, welcomes any submissions (Essex Reporter)
- Essex-Westford School District supplies over 57,000 meals for kids in need since mid-March (Local 22/44)
- High school track reopened after momentary closure (Essex Reporter)
- Head of school lunch program serves the best customers he has ever had (Burlington Free Press)
- How will we exercise our vote during the pandemic? Essex Junction faces that question (Burlington Free Press)
- Essex Hornets' Basketball player hits the Lake (MyNBC5)
- Ashley Gray hired to round out three-principal model for Essex Elementary, Founders Memorial (Essex Reporter)
- Matt Roy named Thomas Fleming principal (Essex Reporter)
- Faces of Essex: Ben Dickie (Essex Reporter)
- Attendance isn't perfect, but better than expected during remote learning (Burlington Free Press)
Happenings
Chalk Messages
Virtual Nature Walk
Teacher Appreciation Drive Through
Upcoming Events
EWSD Board Meeting (Remote)
Board members will join the meeting remotely, as RETN will broadcast on Facebook Live and it can be accessed through Zoom:
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 979 7521 6436
Password: 094160
Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 06:30 PM
Essex High School, Educational Drive, Essex Junction, VT, USA
EWSD Job Opportunities
Important Links
EWSD Social Media
About Us
Email: bdickie@ewsd.org
Website: www.ewsd.org
Location: 58 Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: 802-878-8168
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essexwestford/
Twitter: @EssexWestford