District News

• 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

• Case of Measles Confirmed in Connecticut

  Hartford – The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that it has confirmed a case of measles in a New Haven County adult, the first confirmed case this year in the state; three cases were confirmed during 2018.  DPH is collaborating with local partners to identify contacts and implement appropriate control measures. 

  For more information regarding measles, please visit our measles page, which contains the full press release and links to CDC materials.

  Westbrook Public Schools

• National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development recognizes Westbrook

  Visit https://www.westbrookctschools.org to read about the Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development's recognition of Westbrook Public School's successful school climate work.

  Westbrook Public Schools