WESTPORT — The new academic year for public school students starts Tuesday, and as in-person classes resume amid continuing concerns about COVID-19, Schools Supt. Thomas Scarice late Friday afternoon issued a final update about what to expect.
Highlights include:
- All students and staff will be required to wear masks in school buildings and on school buses.
- Teachers and other school staffers are required to be vaccinated.
- Pausing for now earlier guidance that would allow teachers, who are vaccinated, to instruct classes without wearing their masks.
- Visitors to schools — restricted to educational or business purposes — will be required to show proof of vaccination.
- Students will eat lunches outdoors, under tents, as long as weather permits.
Following is a summary of the superintendent’s emailed statement to school parents:
New website
The Westport school district has a redesigned website. “As you scroll the site you will find a much more modern appearance with easy to use buttons. This effort is just step one in the process of improving our overall online presence,” Scarice wrote.
“The updating and overhaul of current content on our site is underway, and a plan to add weekly content and ‘news’ about our schools will begin when the school year starts. We will engage our district Facebook page next week as we share district ‘news’ through this social media outlet.
“Finally, we are aiming for an October launch of a new district ‘app’ that parents can customize and add to their smartphone.”
Outdoor lunch for students
“The district recently secured formidable tents to provide students an opportunity to eat lunch outside for the first few months of the school year in an effort to thin out the number of students in the cafeteria,” according to the statement.
“These structures provide an opportunity for fresh air and appropriate cover in the event of rain and wind.”
Vaccines for all school employees
Gov. Ned Lamont recently “issued an executive order requiring all pre-K-12 employees to have the COVID-19 vaccine,” Scarice noted.
“Routine testing will be enforced for any employees exempt from this provision due to religious or medical reasons.”
Vaccines for all visitors
During the last academic year, “school visitors were prohibited,” Scarice said. “In keeping with our approach of re-evaluating our strategies every four to six weeks while we confront the pandemic, we will add and remove layers of mitigation as the conditions permit.
“At this point, we will incrementally welcome back visitors to our schools this year with certain restrictions.
“Given that we are requiring all WPS employees to show proof of vaccination, we are also requiring all visitors to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to be permitted to visit school buildings.
“Visitors in the buildings will be limited to educational or school business needs and will need to be approved by the building administration. Access for contractors and vendors will be limited to essential building operations,” the superintendent wrote.
“For parents attending Planning and Placement Team meetings, Section 504 meetings and other required meetings, we will offer virtual meetings, but also host in-person opportunities with proof of vaccination.”
Back to School Night
“As with last year, we will host our Back to School Night virtually,” Scarice said.
“We are in the process of determining the most secure and reliable manner for our network to accommodate a live session for parents on Back to School Night.
“Additional information will be provided in the next week or so with finalized plans, however, I can assure you that the night will be virtual.”
Guidance for unmasked teachers during instruction
“Last week I informed the school community that the state Department of Public Health has released the latest guidance that permits teachers to remove their masks during instruction, provided they are vaccinated, all students are wearing masks and the teacher is at the front of the classroom at least six feet from any student.
“Although I welcome this change as we start the year, after some feedback, I am recommending that we wait a few weeks into the school year before implementing this provision,” Scarice said.
“We will add and remove mitigating measures as the conditions warrant. This provision will be revisited later in September and will either be implemented or delayed, depending on the virus conditions.”
More “Back to School” information attached
Attached documents from school officials are designed to provide detailed “Back to School” information, as well for the “Tools for Schools” program.
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