Dear WES Families,
We hope you are enjoying the summer with your family and loved ones.
I want to thank all of you who joined us for our community forums two weeks ago. During those meetings, we discussed the possibility of bringing students onto campus for Orientation before the start of the school year. I am happy to confirm those plans with you today.
WES will facilitate grade-level Orientations for all students in K-8 during the week of August 31. (Parents of students in Nursery and Pre-K will receive a separate letter tomorrow about their visits). Students can either attend the on-campus Orientation that will be held outside in our tents or they can participate virtually. Please take a minute to complete this FORM to let us know whether your children will join us on site or virtually.
Students will have the opportunity to meet their homeroom teachers and new classmates and reconnect with friends. We will also use this time to acclimate the students to their technology devices, textbooks, and other materials that students will receive during the Orientation. Students will leave the Orientation with a box of materials to take home with them.
On-Campus Orientations
- Parents must conduct a health assessment of their child prior to coming to campus. Families will receive more information about the health assessment by August 26.
- Each grade level homeroom will be assigned to a tent.
- Chairs will be set up under each tent - appropriately distanced.
- All students, faculty, and staff will wear masks throughout the Orientation.
- Everyone will sanitize their hands before entering and exiting the tents.
- Please arrive as close to the start time as possible.
- Use the normal drop-off procedures.
- Enter through the Little Falls Parkway entrance.
- Bear right at the circle and loop around to the front of the school.
- Pull up as far as you can toward the steps in front of the gym.
- Members of the WES Team will help students find their tents.
- We respectfully ask that parents leave campus after dropping off their children.
- Please exit via Little Falls Parkway.
- Please return as close to the finish time as possible.
- Pick-up procedures will mirror the drop-off procedures.
- The only item that students should bring with them is a full water bottle.
Virtual Orientations
- Virtual Orientations will be organized by homeroom or grade level depending on the number of students choosing this option.
- Families will receive a Zoom link on Wednesday, September 2, to access the Orientation.
- Division Directors will work with families to coordinate the materials pick-up prior to Friday, September 4.
Schedule for On-Campus Orientations
Tuesday, September 1
Grade 6: 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Grade 7: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Grade 8: 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 2
Grade 2: 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Kindergarten: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Grade 3: 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 3
Grade 4: 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Grade 1: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Grade 5: 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Schedule for Virtual Orientations
Friday, September 4
K-8: 9 - 10 a.m.
Each grade level will receive a Zoom invite for the Virtual Orientations.
On Friday, the division directors will send a letter to families with more information about the start of the school year, including supply lists, virtual teacher meetings, and parent technology support. Their letters will also contain a link to the 2020-2021 Family and Student Handbook.
I hope the last few weeks of summer are fun and restful. We look forward to seeing our Dragons at Orientation!
Sincerely,
