Dear WES Families,
As the start of the school year draws near, our teachers are finishing their professional development, the facilities team is putting the finishing touches on our renovation projects, and our COVID-19 Task Force has been finalizing our health and safety protocols for this fall. I hope your family is well and you are looking forward to September as much as we are!
As I mentioned in my previous communication, we are now ready to share the 2021-2022 Family & Student Handbook, which provides general school information and a comprehensive look at our policies for the upcoming year. I’d also like to share a few high-level takeaways about our COVID-19 policies:
COVID Policies for Fall 21
- All students and employees will wear a CDC-compliant mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
- We will follow a 3-foot physical distancing protocol, in accordance with the latest CDC guidelines.
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We will continue using the Magnus app for our daily health attestation. New families can view instructions on how to download the app and complete the health screening HERE.
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Quarantining due to travel will only be required after international travel for unvaccinated students and household members. International travel plans should be submitted through THIS FORM.
- Virtual learning will be accessible only when a student quarantines due to COVID exposure or testing positive for COVID-19.
TESTING
Testing will take place every Thursday. Our first testing date for students will be Thursday, September 2, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. on WES’s campus. Students who are unable to come to campus on September 2 must test between September 2 and 4. Please email negative PCR test results to COVID@w-e-s.org by Sunday, September 5, at noon.
Students in Grades K-8 will be tested during the school day beginning September 9. Nursery and Pre-K students will be dismissed at 3 p.m. on September 9 for families to accompany their children for testing to provide another opportunity for our youngest learners to acclimate to the process. Nursery and Pre-K students will then transition to being tested during the school day for the remainder of the year.
Testing is mandatory for all students and employees for the beginning of the school year. We will revisit the policy of mandatory testing for vaccinated individuals as we monitor the pandemic. As a convenience, testing will also be available to families. Everyone must register for testing, regardless of whether they have tested on campus before. The State of Maryland will cover testing costs for all students and employees, and private insurance will be billed for family members. The registration instructions for students and employees are HERE. The registration instructions for our other community members are HERE. You can read more about our testing policy HERE.
More information about our health and safety protocols can be found on page 42 of the handbook. We will also host two community meetings later this month where we can answer your questions about any of our COVID-19 policies.
New Families: Health and Safety Onboarding, Wednesday, August 25, 9 a.m. & 6 p.m.
You will learn about the initiatives WES has implemented to protect your child’s health, including the specifics of our testing and travel policies, how to use the Magnus app, and much more! 9 a.m. link to join. 6 p.m. link to join.
Returning Families: Health and Safety Updates for the Fall, Thursday, August 26, 9 a.m. & 6 p.m.
These meetings will be recorded, and the links will be shared at a later date.
Before Care
Before Care is a free childcare program for Early Childhood and Elementary WES students. Before Care will be supervised by our Classroom Support Personnel.
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Families may register for the program HERE. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
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Students can be dropped off for Before Care between 7:45 and 8 a.m. Please note that we are unable to admit children for Before Care outside of this window.
- Parents should park and walk their child to the front doors of the school and check in with a Before Care team member.
- Students will be taken to the Extended Day Room (Early Childhood) and the Gym (Elementary) where they can play, read, and relax until 8:15 a.m. when they will go to their classrooms.
- Siblings of Middle School students can be dropped off with their Middle School siblings. Those students should walk directly to the Extended Day Room.
HOT LUNCH
Registration is now open for Hot Lunch, and the September menus are available! You can learn more about the program, including how to register, HERE.
