A Message from Superintendent Haas
March 20, 2023
March Updates Within WNESU
Dear WNESU families,
In mid- March, we still find ourselves with a lot of snow on the ground, but spring is here!
We have moved through the 2023-24 budget cycle and the town meetings and wanted to first thank the WNESU residents for their support of the districts' schools and their needs. Guiding your students through their school years with our time, attention, and continued diligence is a responsibility and an honor and we thank you for the support.
It will be a busy spring in WNESU, with concerts, school sports, and all the fun that end of the year celebrations bring. Students are working very hard across the district, and their academic and extracurricular performance continue to make WNESU very proud!
Below are a few pieces of information that I wanted to share that are important to concentrate on this spring across the district, as well as announcements for some activities that are also happening at the schools.
Registration Time!
Universal Pre-K Registration has begun
What is UPK?
- UPK is publicly funded preschool.
- Every preschool-aged child in Vermont is entitled to 10 free hours per week (35 weeks per year) of developmentally appropriate preschool. Your school district pays for those preschool hours.
- In our district, public preschool is WNESU’s Early Education Center OR a tuition-reduced slot at a pre-qualified private provider.
Where are these publicly funded preschool programs?
- WNESU Early Education Center is an entirely free publicly funded preschool program at two sites: in the Central Elementary School in Bellows Falls and in the Westminster Elementary School. We have two classrooms at Central Elementary School in Bellows Falls and one classroom at the Westminster Center School. We provide free preschool full days/full weeks (Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 2:45 pm). We follow the school year calendar. Part time options will be available for families who prefer a shorter schedule.
- WNESU school districts pay tuition to pre-qualified private providers anywhere in Vermont for 10 hours per week of high-quality preschool. Families will continue to be charged fully beyond the 10 hours/week during the academic year. Most of these programs provide care for longer hours, and during school vacations. Families must apply directly to the pre-qualified private provider they select AND complete a WNESU registration form. A list of pre-qualified programs can be found at: http://www.brightfutures.dcf.state.vt.us
Is my child eligible for publicly funded preschool?
- If you reside in Athens, Grafton, Rockingham, or Westminster, then your child is eligible to participate.
- Your child must be 3 years old by September 1, 2023 to be eligible.
- In order to participate, your child must be registered with WNESU. Register using the PDF application form, below. If you prefer to apply online, you may use this link instead. Due date: 4/17/23
To learn more, click HERE
Kindergarten Registration
Please See the link below, for kindergarten registration at our area schools:
Saxtons River Elementary School Kindergarten Registration
Grafton Elementary School Kindergarten Registration
Westminster Center School Kindergarten Registration
WNESU Summer Programs
From Sarah Doran, Director of Summer and After- School Programs:
The Windham Northeast Supervisory Union is excited to announce our Summer Program plans for 2023! We will be centralizing our elementary and middle school Summer Programs (1st-8th.) These will be hosted at two WNESU locations: Westminster Center School and Bellows Fall Middle School.
WNESU Summer Programs can provide up to five weeks of camp that will offer experiential and enriching learning opportunities for elementary and middle school students. Summer Programs are an expansion of our After-School Programs and they keep youth on track during the summer by providing critical support to students and families, while offering a safe and nurturing learning environment.
To learn more about dates, scheduling, activities, and how to be considered for a Summer Program slot, please see the attached pdf with the sign-up link.
Completing this online application form indicates an interest in a Summer Programs (1st-8th) slot; placement in the Summer Programs is not guaranteed. This is NOT a first come, first serve system. The WNESU staff will use the submitted information to determine interest and the availability of slots.
VTCAP Assessment Administered in April
This year, Vermont will be implementing for the first time, the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program (VTCAP) provided by Cognia, replacing the Smarter Balanced Assessment and Vermont Science Assessment (VTSA). This new assessment provides improvements to our assessment system in terms of equity and accessibility (e.g., translations, embedded speech to text). The new modality will be computer-based and all three subjects will be adaptive ( new for science) and will assess our state standards for English Language Arts, math, and science.
The assessments include:
VTCAP Language Arts and Mathematics: Grades 3-9
VTCAP Science Assessment: Grades 5, 8, 11
These assessment reports will provide information on what your student(s) learned in relation to the statewide academic standards, and will be viewed in the context of other information gathered by the teacher and the school. The information will provide families and school leaders with an increased understanding of how teaching and learning is taking place and how students’ needs are being met.
More Information regarding assessment administration will be sent to homes in the coming week.
Where Can I Find Information?
School Newsletters!
In addition to finding information about district activities via Facebook, Fact TV, and on our websites, each school publishes a weekly or bi-weekly newsletter! They are also posted on Facebook and on the homepage of each school's website. The newsletters are great for timely information to WNESU households and to catch a glimpse of school happenings!
Check out the latest goings-on!
Bellows Falls Union High School
Saxtons River Elementary School
Information You Should Know
Medicaid and CHIP Coverage renewals
Millions of students run the risk of losing Medicaid and CHIP coverage as regular renewals restart. Since the pandemic’s Public Health Emergency began in March 2020, children and families enrolled in Medicaid have not been required to complete renewal paperwork in order to stay covered. But with this pandemic-era policy ending, students enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP could lose their coverage starting April 1st if they do not submit renewal paperwork on time or if they are no longer eligible and need to transition to another form of coverage.
In order to protect their child and their family’s health care coverage, it is important that parents with children on Medicaid act quickly to confirm or update their contact information for every member of their family on Medicaid with the Vermont Health Connect/Dr. Dynasaur and provide necessary information to complete their Medicaid and CHIP renewal when notified. Families could be notified about their renewal paperwork at any point this year or early next year.
If the Vermont Health Connect/Dr. Dynasaur does not have correct contact information for a family, parents may not receive their renewal notice and their children could lose coverage.
To verify or update contact information, parents should go to the Vermont Health Connect Portal or call 1-855-899-9600. It is also important for parents to open and respond to all mail from Medicaid and CHIP over the next year to avoid losing their healthcare coverage.
As regular renewals restart in Medicaid and CHIP, we want to make sure parents have the information they need to protect coverage for their child and other family members.
To update your contact information or get questions answered about your Medicaid/CHIP coverage, visit Vermont Health Connect or call 1-855-899-9600.
No longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP and need help enrolling in the Marketplace? You can find free, unbiased help at: 1-855-899-9600
To learn more: https://portal.healthconnect.vermont.gov/.../welcome.action
Bellows Falls Middle School Principal Search, Next Phase
The public are welcome to meet the Bellows Falls Middle School principal candidates the week of March 27th, 2023 in the early evening. The specific date and schedule of activities are being finalized and more information will be publicized on the BFMS and WNESU websites, as well as on the Facebook pages.
Please join us in meeting and asking questions of the Bellows Falls Middle School principal candidates!
The current last day of school for students is Wednesday, June 21, 2023. We will provide updated information if needed.
In the News!
A wonderful article on the collaborative work between students at BFUHS and artist Negina Azimi!
And the WNESU food service program and advocacy for universal meals, featured in Seven Days