Superintendent's Weekly Update

I hope you and your family are well, and enjoying the last weeks of summer vacation. Although we don’t intend to rush the final days of summer, we do want you to know our team of administrators, educators, and support staff are excitedly awaiting the return to school to welcome back our students this fall.

As a reminder, the first day of school for students in grades 1-12 is a half day on Tuesday, September 6. The first day for Kindergarten is Thursday, September 8; and the first day for Pre-K is Monday, September 12. In preparation of the first week, please find below a few important updates:

Transportation:

As of today, bus routes for the 2022-2023 school year are now available. Bus routes are subject to change as we continue to make adjustments, so we recommend periodically checking your child’s bus route for changes. Bus stop information is also now available in Aspen for families who submitted a transportation application on time and qualified for bus transportation. Additional information can be found on the transportation page of the WPS website, including:

• Bus transportation policy and 2022-2023 approved rates

• Bus transportation online payment portal

• If you have questions or concerns related to bus routes, or bus stop information, please email transportation@weymouthps.org.

COVID-19 Protocols:

This school year we will continue to work with the guidance and recommendations provided by DESE/DPH related to COVID-19. New guidance from DESE/DPH includes the following recommendations:

• The Commonwealth is not recommending universal mask requirements, surveillance testing of asymptomatic individuals, contact tracing, or test-to-stay testing in schools.

• Masks are not required in school or on school transportation, with the exception of while in school health offices.

• No asymptomatic person should be excluded from school as a result of exposure. All exposed individuals may continue to attend programming as long as they remain asymptomatic. Those who can mask should do so until Day 10, and it is recommended that they test on Day 6 of exposure. If symptoms develop, follow the guidance for symptomatic individuals, below.

• Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours, they may return to programming after Day 5 and should wear a high-quality mask through Day 10.

Food Services:

Free meals will return for the 2022-2023 school year! To read the full communications, and fill out an application, please click here.

Athletics:

Fall sports return on Monday, August 22! If your athlete has not yet registered, please email robert.oleary@weymouthps.org.

Family Engagement Center:

Any NEW students who have not yet registered for the 2022-2023 school year, please visit the Family Engagement Center.

Communication Survey:

You can expect weekly communications at the district and school level to return this year, as well as a monthly district newsletter. We are always looking for ways to manage and improve communication, and will distribute a district-wide survey next week. You can expect to receive the survey via email and text message, and I would encourage all to participate. If you are not receiving communications, or would like to review your communication preferences, please review your contact information in Aspen, and revisit the Blackboard Communications opt-in and opt-out instructions here.

Lastly, as you make your final plans before the return to school, and look forward to any outstanding adventures, I hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate how your time was spent the last several months. Spending time together with family and friends, the experiences, interactions, and opportunities you participated in we know are more meaningful now than ever before. We hope our students return feeling refreshed and reinvigorated as our staff eagerly awaits their return.

Best Regards,

Robert Wargo

Superintendent

• Thursday, September 1: First Day of School for Staff
• Friday, September 2: Staff Professional Development
• Monday, September 5: Labor Day - No School
• Tuesday, September 6: First Day for Students Grades 1-12 - Student Half Day
• Thursday, September 8: First Day for Kindergarten
• Monday, September 12: First Day for Pre-K

• DESE/DPH School Guidance
• Video: How to Administer an At-Home COVID Test
  
• Text Guide: How Do I Administer an At-Home COVID test?