Coleytown Middle Schools Gets Art Upgrade over Break
Westport Arts Advisory Committee: Westport artist Eric Chiang stands beside his large-scale acrylic painting installed at the newly refurbished Coleytown Middle School, which will greet students when they return to classes Monday. Are We Born Connected?, a three-piece (triptych) canvas measuring 4 feet x 15 feet was hung in the school’s grand staircase, on what had been a beautiful yet vast empty space. Arranged to display by the Westport Arts Advisory Committee (WAAC,) the painting will be on loan to CMS until the end of the school year. Although the public cannot visit in person, the piece may be viewed on WAAC’s website, along with 1500+ other artworks that comprise the Westport Public Art Collections (WestPAC). Click here for more about Eric and his work.
Superintendent: Protect our Schools and Obey Law if Returning from Vacation
Staples High School was a low priority for snow clearing crews today as the District remains on Winter Recess until this upcoming Monday. Quarantine Guidelines for Westport Students & Families
New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island are exempt from this advisory, and do not require quarantine or COVID-19 testing.
Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and all other states or countries are not exempt. If you visited any non-exempt state for more than 24 hours within the past 10 days:
All students and families must fill out the State Travel Health Form regardless of COVID-19 testing.
All students and families must quarantine when they return home to Connecticut, and must remain in quarantine for ten days since last contact with the affected State.
Quarantine may be left if a rapid or PCR COVID-19 test was administered, and returned negative. The test can be administered up to 72 hours before returning to the Connecticut, or anytime thereafter. Results must be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Health .
Failure to quarantine, receive COVID-19 testing, and/or submit accurate State Travel Forms will result in a $500 civil penalty per violation (per family member, and/or per time leaving quarantine)
All positive COVID-19 cases for Westport Public Schools students or staff (virtual or in-person learnings) must be reported to the District by email or phone.
Anonymous reporting of people not adhering to the Connecticut Travel Advisory can be submitted online here.
Press Release: Dear Westport Families and Staff,
As we head into the final weekend of the winter break I want to remind everyone of Governor Lamont's Executive order 9S, an order regarding travel. Students and staff returning from travel to anywhere other than New Jersey, New York or Rhode Island, where they have stayed longer than 24 hours, are required by law to follow this executive order. Please see the link below for specific information including a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. (For your convenience the FAQ’s are also included in this email.)
We want to remind families to continue reporting positive COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
As noted last week, the travel guidance linked and outlined below is important information as the winter break draws to a close, but it remains critical for families and staff to remember that smaller social gatherings with family and friends have an equal, if not greater potential, for transmission of COVID-19 if mask wearing and other critical mitigation measures aren’t followed.
Thank you again for your help in following this guidance. Enjoy the weekend, and we look forward to seeing everyone next week!
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent: No COVID-19 Cases to Report; Reminds Families to Report Cases Even During Break
Good afternoon Westport Families and Staff,
I hope you are all enjoying the winter vacation. The District has continued to actively monitor for reports of positive COVID-19 cases associated with our schools since the start of break. I am pleased to report that as of the time I am writing to you this afternoon we have no new cases of COVID-19. This is very positive news for our schools and the greater community. We will continue with our monitoring efforts through the weekend and will provide an update either Sunday evening or Monday morning.
As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Westport Public Schools: All Afternoon Activities, Sports Cancelled due to Snow
Press ReleaseGood morning,
Due to the pending snow all student activities scheduled after 12:00 p.m. today, Thursday, February 18, 2021, are canceled or postponed. Please check with your coaches or student advisors for any plans to reschedule activities planned for this afternoon.
Please stay safe.
Respectfully,
John Bayers
Director of Human Resources & General Administration
Westport Elementary Schoolers Sing “Stand By Me”, a Gift to Westport
A January Board of Education meeting described excitement about a future song release from Westport fourth and fifth graders, a great triumph for the Arts Education programs during pandemic learning. Through Google Drive, the song was finally released and approved to be shared by The Westport Local Press by Stephen Zimmerman, Music and Visual Arts Coordinator for the Westport Public Schools.
The elementary school chorus groups worked with Backtrack Vocals, a professional Acapella group who assisted in putting together the video. The kids sang the song Stand By Me and hope their work could serve as a gift to their community during hard times. View above or by clicking this link.
Superintendent Update: High Schoolers Return 75% March 1; Unapproved Virtual Attendance Ends after Winter Break
Elementary Schools: A successful report was given regarding full-in transitions in the five schools.
Middle Schools: 10% of students remain home, with Wednesdays continuing to be half-days remotely due to staff professional development.
Staples High School: 75% capacity will begin on March 1, with four cohorts (A, B, C, F) instead of the current two cohort system. Students will be able to attend school three full days per week instead of the current two.
Absent-Present Online: Students who are scheduled to be in-person learning, but remain home without an unverified medical reason, will no longer be able to attend classes virtually - resulting in an absence from school.
Press ReleaseGood afternoon,
As we round into our February vacation I would like to provide the school community with some updates.
Elementary Schools Update
Our elementary schools began to welcome back students for full time in-person instruction on January 28. Our faculty, staff and administrators have done an outstanding job in safely and successfully bringing our students back. It is not the classroom of last year. This is a primary drawback. Yet, the environment is most welcoming and positive based on the outstanding professionals in our schools. Additionally, the full instructional model, within limits based on our mitigating measures, can be fully implemented. We will continue to make changes and modifications along the way, but it is certainly safe to say that we have successfully kicked off the second half of the year, and this success can be attributed to the teachers, leaders and support staff in our schools.
Middle School Learning Model
We have also had a very successful start to the full reopening of Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools. The first phase of this model included all students attending full days, four days a week, with a half remote day on Wednesdays. This phase will continue going forward and will be revisited in approximately 4-6 weeks.
There continues to be approximately 10% of our students engaged in full distance learning at the middle schools and these Wednesdays are invaluable for the planning and preparation teachers need to keep these students on pace for the current school year. In addition, due to the need to provide appropriate supervision of students at arrival and dismissal (i.e. enforce COVID rules, prevent congregating, etc.) we have encroached on the time that is reserved for teachers before and after school, and as a result we moved some required professional meetings to Wednesdays. For these reasons the current phase including half remote days on Wednesdays will continue at the middle schools for the time being.
Staples Learning Model Update
As mentioned in a previous message, there has been an effort to increase on-site learning for students at Staples High School, particularly after a successful start to full on-site schooling at the elementary and middle school levels. The first phase of this effort will begin on March 1. Although Staples Principal Stafford Thomas is sharing details to the Staples community regarding the calendar and schedule as it relates to individual students, I would like to make the entire Westport school community aware of the overall plan.
This next phase learning model for March is intended to increase on-site attendance to a 75% capacity. All students will attend Staples three full days a week while a distance learning option remains available.
The current Staples model is designed to instruct 50% of the student body through an A/B cohort model (i.e. cohort A and cohort B each attend on-site two days a week, Monday/Tuesday for cohort A and Thursday/Friday for cohort B with Wednesday serving as a half remote day). The 75% capacity model will recategorize students from the current two cohorts (A, B) to four cohorts (A, B, C, F). Each day three of the four cohorts will attend at a time, thus 75%. Wednesday will remain a half remote day. Again, the rotation schedule will be shared by Principal Thomas with the Staples school community.
I will continue to review each change on a 4-6 week basis. If this model is successful and if indicators continue to stabilize, there will be the introduction of the next phase of increasing access to on-site schooling at Staples.
Attendance: Absent but Present Online (APO)
In my last message I mentioned the challenge facing our teachers as secondary students invoke the "absent but present online" attendance option. In short, the abuse of this provision has been significantly disruptive to the learning environment to all students. In response, clearer guidelines will be shared by the middle and high school principals for implementation beginning February 22. Choosing to attend class remotely when a student is an "in-person" learner will not be an option unless there is a verified medical reason. More information will be forthcoming. It is critical that parents support our efforts in this regard so that we can continue to successfully implement full in-person learning models.
Travel and Social Gatherings
Travel guidance was sent to parents in a separate message today. Quarantining after travel, or obtaining a negative COVID test, remains in effect. However, another rule that remains in effect is the cap of 10 people for private social gatherings. We have experienced very few positive COVID cases as a result of travelling. In fact, many can be traced to social gatherings. As the infection rates drop, and hopefully continues, it is essential that parents, students and all Westport Public Schools staff do their part to avoid social gatherings for the time being. This will go a long way in minimizing opportunities for the virus to enter our schools so that we can continue to remain fully opened at the K-8 level, with increased access at Staples.
Although threats remain, the faint light at the end of the tunnel continues to brighten. Vaccines are coming, days are getting longer (and eventually will get warmer), infection rates continue to drop, and we continue to welcome more students to our schools on a regular basis.
I hope that each of you stay safe and enjoy the February vacation.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Staples High School Announces February Students of the Month
Press ReleasePrincipal Thomas has announced Staples High School's recipients for February Student of the Month:
Aidan Kogan- Gr. 9
Nicole D’Erario- Gr.12
Oliver Grodman- Gr. 9
Amanda Rowan – Gr. 11
David Sheng- Gr. 9
The Students of the Month award program recognizes students who help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike. They are the “glue” of the Staples community: the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.
Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community. In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school. Students of the Month are not necessarily star athletes, high honor students, or lead performers, and even if they are, this award recognizes the positive attitude they bring to school every day in making Staples High School a genial place in which to learn and teach.
State Champions: Staples Team wins We The People Competition; Congratulations from Senator Haskell
The Staples High School We the People team brought home a State Championship to the high school after this week’s competition. The school also held the title after the 2019 competition.
State Senator Will Haskell released a statement on the championship, saying: "Special congratulations to the We the People team from Staples High School on their state championship earlier this week. We the People is a is a simulated congressional hearing in which students “testify” before a panel of judges to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles. Following their state victory, the Staples team will now compete in the virtual, nationwide competition later this semester."
Staples Players Radio Theatre Presents: Sorry, Wrong Number Tonight at 7
Staples Players Radio Theatre will present “Sorry, Wrong Number” tonight at 7:00 PM. The show can be enjoyed by visiting WWPT Radio Station Online at wwptfm.org.
The audible experience was postponed from Sunday due to the snow storm that blanketed the community. Staples Players have remained active throughout the pandemic, rising to the occasion and practicing the art of radio theatre through sponsors and background work.
Superintendent: 3 New COVID-19 Cases in 2 Schools
Press Release from Last NightDear Westport Families and Staff,
In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this evening we have 3 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. The reports came from the following schools:
Greens Farms Elementary School - 2
Staples High School - 1
Those impacted have been notified by school and District officials. As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools