District News

• Preschool and Kindergarten Registration For 2020-2021 School Year

  Registration for Kindergarten and Preschool students begins the week of February 3, 2020, at Daisy Ingraham School and will be ongoing.

  Parents/Guardians may register their child(ren), who must be a resident of Westbrook and five years old by December 31, 2020, for Kindergarten. Children who will be four years old by December 31, 2020, and have already participated in a preschool screening at Daisy Ingraham, are eligible to enroll for Preschool.  Parents/Guardians who have children who will be three or four years old by December 31, 2020, and who have not already participated in a screening, should call the elementary school office at 860-399-7925 to set up an appointment for a preschool screening. Three- and four-year-old students must participate in a screening prior to registration and will be admitted to the Integrated Preschool Program as space permits.

  Registration packets are available on the elementary school website at https://dis.westbrookctschools.org or may be picked up in the school main office.  The registration packet contains specific details about documents required to establish proof of residency, age, etc. The main school office is open daily from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.  There will be extended hours for registration on Tuesday,  February 4, and Thursday, February 6, until 7:00 pm.

  • Kindergarten and Pre-school Registration -1-29-2020(1).pdf

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Influenza Information

  Schools are a prime location for the flu virus to spread. It is hard to prevent kids from getting the flu this time of year for various reasons. The flu virus is spread by respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, and talking.  Droplets can spread up to six feet away and land in the mouths or noses or people who are nearby. It can also be spread by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth or nose. 

  • Children are three times more likely to get sick with the flu
  • Children can pass the flu virus to others for a period of more than seven days after the symptoms start
  • On average, one-third of family members in families with school age children are infected with the flu each year.

  The flu is different than a cold. Both a cold and flu are respiratory illnesses, however they are caused by different virus’s and have different symptoms.  The flu normally comes on suddenly.  An easy way to recognize the flu symptoms are to remember the FLU FACTS.

  (Fever, Aches, Chills, Tiredness, and Sudden onset)

  Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea are seen with children.

  Complications of the flu virus can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Key points to remember:

  Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water. You can set a good example by doing this yourself. Good hand hygiene is the first line of defense against the flu. Hand sanitizer is acceptable if your hands are not visibly dirty.

  Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. If they don't have a tissue, they should cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve, not their hands.

  Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

  Don't send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are sick at school will be sent home. Keeping your child home when sick will allow them to rest and also allows you to monitor their health closely. Keeping your sick child home is the responsible thing to do. It protects fellow students and school staff, especially those who are at higher risk of severe illness from the flu.

  Remember- if you are sick, please STAY HOME!  Please be vigilant of others and aware of the serious risk to students and staff when coming to school with flu-like symptoms. Thank you in advance for doing your part in keeping our schools healthy! If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Core Values Community Survey Letter

  WESTBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

  154 MCVEAGH ROAD • WESTBROOK, CT 06498 • 860-399-6214

  Taylor P. Wrye, Principal

   

   

  September 17, 2019

   

  Dear Westbrook Middle School,

   

  One of the goals of the 2018-2019  and 2019-2020 school years is to define the WMS core values.  Our staff brainstormed on what makes WMS unique and what defines us as a middle school.  We began this journey by asking our students to design “the most exceptional middle school in the whole world.”  What would this school look like to them?  As a staff, we identified the purpose of public middle schools and the values of the Westbrook community.

   

  Below are words that we have identified throughout this process that best represent Westbrook Middle School.  Please take a moment and click on each word to view a document created collaboratively by WMS staff members.  Each document is broken down into WHY, HOW, and WHAT.  The WHY is our core value, the HOW identifies how we achieve the WHY, and the WHAT outlines what students can expect and experience in our school relating to that core value.

   

  Collaboration                                                   Enjoyment

   

  Innovation                                                       Inspiration

   

  Integrity                                                           Reflection

   

  Relationships

   

  We want all stakeholders to have a voice during this process, and are asking for your contributions as WMS parents.  Use the following link to submit your vote on which values best represent WMS, or on which values you would like the middle school to focus.  We will continue to focus on more than just the listed values but will start with your four top choices.  These core values are meant to be fluid and that we will revisit them when we feel the need.

   

  SURVEY LINK; https://forms.gle/9XPu1FsKtDwcVbXv9
  

  Thank you for the time you have taken to complete this survey. 

   

  Sincerely,

  Taylor P. Wrye, Principal

   

  Westbrook Middle School

• DPH Advises CT Residents to Take Extra Precautions to Prevent Contracting Eastern Equine Encephalitis

  The Connecticut Department of Public Health today is urging residents to continue personal preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites and reduce the chance of contracting eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus. Residents are advised to protect themselves and their children by minimizing outdoor activity from dusk to dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. The mosquitoes that carry the virus are active until the first heavy frost.

  
  The EEE virus has been identified in mosquitoes in 12 towns and in horses in two other towns. Westbrook has not been identified and no cases have been reported in Westbrook.  Information shared herein comes as a result of talking with the First Selectman and the Executive Director of the Public Health Dept. in Westbrook.  All are working diligently and preventively to limit town-wide exposure to mosquitoes.  Please see the attached flyer from the CT State Dept. of Public Health.  These are precautionary best practices that the schools follow for any outdoor activities including athletic competitions.  Further, we monitor the condition of our outdoor facilities to spot and eradicate puddles or other standing water sources.

  Thank you.

   Patricia A. Ciccone

  Superintendent

  860-399-6432

  • 9 11 19 DPH Advises CT Residents to Take Precautions to Avoid EEE 003 doc.pdf

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Superintendent's Welcome Back Letter to Parents/Guardians

  Dear Parents/Guardians:

  
  On Wednesday, August 28th, your students will be welcomed back to their new school year by their administrators, teachers and staff. While we all lament the winding down of summer, the first day of school is an exciting day for students to reconnect with one another and with their principal, teachers, counselors and other support professionals. This year, major programming and facilities improvement projects that have been completed over the summer will also add to the excitement of returning to school. Thanks to the efforts of our Board of Education, our elected town officials/boards & committees as well as our school district professionals; this is truly a grand opening. Here are just a few of the changes and improvements that our students and staff will enjoy.

  
   Our expansion of Pre-K opportunities has led to our Westbrook becoming a Universal Pre-K district. All four-year-old children now have access to full-day Pre – K.

  
   Our EL population continues to rise and with it our diversity percentages are providing positive impacts on our culture and climate. To more effectively serve our EL students, we have added to our bilingual support professionals and now have two full time certified faculty and several teachers with added credentials to meet the needs of our EL population.

  
   High School students will have access to greater career exploration opportunities and placements as part of their programming through the auspices of our new Career/College Readiness Center and the efforts of our new Coordinator who has joined the Guidance Dept.

  
   Last year’s growth in athletic programming for students has resulted in the outcome for which we had hoped. We are seeing an impressive rise in the number of students coming out for sports teams and showing interest in becoming multi-sport athletes.

  
   Our school buildings are in great shape, with specific upgrades including, fire and chemical safety inspection adjustments & repairs, new high school safety/security doors, tennis courts resurfacing, improvements to field turf conditions and, final improvements to the high school auditorium. Daisy Ingraham and the high school now have new generators with back-up alternative fuel sources.

  
  The aforementioned improvements aside, we understand always that student success and mastery is a journey. We are committed to giving students the individual support they need on their personal journey to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to realize their hopes and aspirations; always measuring our own performance relative to theirs.

  
  Again, it is exciting to plan for and welcome our students every school year and we welcome your involvement as well. Please plan to join us often for individually planned visits, conferences and events, festivities and celebrations, and as always, please contact me with any questions or concerns.

  Welcome to school year 2019 - 20! You have my sincere best wishes for a wonderful year.

  
  Patricia A. Ciccone

  • Welcome back letter 9-2019.pdf

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Bus Routes Available

  Bus routes have been made available within the parent and student portal of PowerSchool.  To view this information, please login to the PowerSchool portal and and look for the section labeled "Bus Information" on the main screen.  For bus route questions, please contact the main office of the school where your child is enrolled.

  Westbrook Public Schools

• New Sunscreen Law

  July 1 presents us with many new laws.  Of those that are effective on July 1, the laws briefly described below, referencing sunscreen and access to HIV prevention drugs, impact the health and well-being of our school-aged children.

  https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-new-laws-connecticut-july-2019-20190701-djf4skoikzfs7jwnwscb3kopo4-story.html

  Sunscreen for school children

  Students who are 6 and older will now be allowed to carry and apply sunscreen before outdoor activities at school ⁠— provided they have a written note from a parent or guardian. Prior law treated sunscreen the same as other over-the-counter medications, meaning it required a doctor’s note and had to be administered by the school nurse. “Use of sunscreen at a young age is a critical and necessary component of skin cancer prevention,” the SUNucate Coalition, which advocated in favor of the bill, wrote to legislators. Connecticut joins 22 other states that have similar laws, according to the group.

  Youth access to HIV prevention drugs

  Minors will no longer need parental consent to obtain HIV prevention medication, commonly referred to as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and sold under the brand name Truvada. State law already allowed minors to be treated for HIV or AIDS without their parents being notified. Youth ages 13-24 account for 22 percent of all new HIV infections in the U.S., according to Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan,  one of the bill’s chief sponsors. If youth are required to receive parental consent to obtain PrEP “we are effectively requiring that they choose between their right to privacy and their right to medical treatment,” Rep. Jeff Currey, an East Hartford Democrat and another co-sponsor of the bill, wrote in testimony submitted to state legislators.

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Health and Safety Tip

  Dear Westbrook Families:

  A very recent sighting of a small bat in the lower parking lot of Daisy Ingraham reminds us that there are simple steps to follow to be safe when any small or large animals or birds are found to be out of their habitat, sick or infirmed.  The first step is never to approach or touch any unfamiliar animal or bird and to report its presence to the authorities. While we have had no reports of any children or parents touching the bat in the parking lot, the potential for any safety concerns prompts us to share the information that our medical professionals would advise.  For more information regarding keeping yourself or your children safe when in the vicinity of any unfamiliar animals during the day or at night, please click on the link recommended by our medical professionals .  Thank you.

  https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html  

   

  Patricia A. Ciccone

  Superintendent

  860-399-6432

  Westbrook Public Schools

• 2019-2020 Calendar

  The 2019-2020 School Year Calendar has been published.  It is available at https://www.westbrookctschools.org/20192020_school_year_calendar or by clicking the "2019-2020 School Year Calendar" link in the calendar menu on the district website.

  

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Information Regarding Internet Video Concerns 2/28/2019

   Dear Westbrook Families:

  Today several children expressed concern as a result of feeling uncomfortable and scared after having seen or heard about an Internet pop up or video called the “Momo Challenge.”

  Some children’s videos and cartoons online, especially those visible on YouTube Kids, have been infiltrated with a scary-looking creature.  This animated creature has exaggerated features and is at times reportedly encouraging watchers to do harm to themselves or others. This appears to school officials to be the most recent in a series of these unfortunate animations and grotesque creatures that surface from time to time.

  We want to provide all of our families with this information to alert everyone to the recommended precautions.  Brought to our attention today, we have listened to our students and have reassured them that they are safe in school and at home.  We have encouraged them to tell an adult, immediately, if something is uncomfortable or scary to them and we appreciate that many have followed this process.  We hope you will encourage the same in your homes.

  We also want to assure families that our students are constantly monitored while online at school and no instances of scary pop-ups have been reported in our school locations.  However, students are talking about this phenomenon and we are asking all families to be vigilant in following these recommended steps while your children are on any online devices at home.

  • Provide proper supervision.
  • Limit their Internet access to child or age-appropriate material.
  • Limit the amount of screen time.

  We are certain that by working together, we can keep children safe and knowledgeable while managing their use of technology.  As always, if you have further questions or concerns, you can contact your child’s school administrator.

  Westbrook Public Schools