Westbrook High School

Recent News from Westbrook High School

• Covid-19 Testing Update

  Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff,                                                            

   

  As we look forward to our third month of school, we are very proud of our students and staff and their ability to adapt to our new-normal with the guidelines and restrictions regarding the pandemic.

   

  We continue to work closely with our medical advisor Dr. Adam Perrin, Westbrook Health Dept, CT State Board of Education, and CT Department of Public Health in putting practices in place to keep our students and staff safe.

   

  Our latest guidance is regarding the acceptance of the “rapid antigen test”, including the new BinaxNOW test, used to diagnose individuals with symptoms of COVID-19. It has been reported that often these tests which can provide point-of-care diagnosis are often less sensitive than the nucleic acid detection with the RT-PRC test and produce false negative results for patients who actually have the illness. Therefore, we can only accept test results from the standard RT-PCR viral test going forward.  While the result takes longer to receive (usually 2-3 days), it is an accurate and reliable test.

   

  To recap guidance on staying home due to possible COVID-19 related illness:

   

  Please keep your child home and follow the illness guidelines if s/he has one or more of the following symptoms consistent with COVID-19:

   

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath and/or difficulty breathing
  • Fever and chills
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Fatigue
  • New loss of taste and smell
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion and/or Runny Nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea and/or GI issues

   

   

  There are 4 ways your child may return to school:

  • The health care provider provides a note specifically stating they are not concerned that the symptoms are related to COVID-19 and provides an alternative diagnosis for the symptoms.
  • The student provides a negative RT-PCR test result for COVID-19 and must be symptom free for at least 72 hours.
  • If the student tests positive for COVID-19, they must isolate for a full 10 days after the test and be symptom free for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
  • If you choose not to take the student to the physician AND refuse to have a COVID test, the student must quarantine for a full 14 days and be symptom free for at least 24 hours.

   

  • If your child is ill, please call and/or email the office or the nurse and leave a detailed message regarding the reason your child is out and any symptoms he or she may be having. This will allow the nurse to follow up with the parent/ guardian with any other questions she may have.

   

  • All test results or doctor notes must be reviewed and verified by the school nurse prior to your child’s return. Medical documents may be sent to the nurse via email or fax for increased convenience.

   

  • If your child is symptom free and under quarantine guidelines or waiting on test results, you may choose for your child to attend class remotely, rather than have those days marked as absent. To do this, you must contact the office and let them know of your intention and they will let you know when your child is ready to access remote learning. ***Please note that if your child is sick, s/he should not access the remote learning, as we want your child to rest and recover! ***

   

  Where can you go for reliable testing? Check out these sites:

  • 211 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information - https://uwc.211ct.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information/
  • Yale New Haven Health COVID-19 Testing - https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/testing/testing-locations.aspx
  • Community Health Care (CHC) COVD-19 Testing - https://www.chc1.com/covid-19-testing/
  • Hartford Health Care COVID-19 Testing - https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health-wellness/coronavirus/testing
  • Hartford Health Care Hotline - (833)-621-0600 (Follow the prompt to sign up for a covid test, the person will ask for name, address, and DOB. They will set you up with the closest location to where you live with a time frame, usually 8-4 PM.
  • DOCS Medical Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ - https://docsmedicalgroup.com/docsurgentcare/coronavirus-covid-19/

   

  If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse.

   

  Thank you,

   

  Kayla Johnson, RN (Daisy Ingraham Elementary School)

  Tina Bennett, RN (Westbrook Middle/High School)

  • COVID Testing Update 10-20.pdf

  Covid Info

• Covid Free Holidays

  Dear Parents and Staff,

   

  As the holidays get closer and families are making plans, it is important to remember the care with which we have approached this school year to keep our students and staff safe. Please keep in mind during the upcoming holiday season the importance of wearing face masks, social distancing, washing hands, and quarantining when you do not feel well.  It is so easy to forget when you haven't seen Grandma or Uncle Jim in months and are eager for a hug from our loved ones.

   

  Additionally, Governor Lamont is recommending limiting non-essential travel outside the state.  However, if you must travel outside Connecticut, be certain to check if your destination is on the CT Travel Advisory list at https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.  If you are entering Connecticut from one of these states you must fill out a travel health form online at CT.gov/travelform.  Upon returning from an affected state or country where you visited for 24 hours or longer, you must self-quarantine for 14 days from when you were in the affected location.  Travelers can also choose to be tested for COVID-19 instead of self-quarantine if the following criteria is met: 

  • The test must be the RT-PCR test, not a rapid antigen or antibody test,
  • The test must be completed 72 hours prior to arrival in Connecticut or at any time following arrival in Connecticut, 
  • The result of the test is negative, and
  • The individual has provided written proof of the negative test result to the Commissioner via email to COVID-Travel@ct.govor via fax to: 860-326-0529.

  If the test results have not been received the traveler must remain in self quarantine in Connecticut until the negative results are submitted to the Commissioner.  See the CT Travel Advisory website for more information.  Keep in mind that our ability to keep our schools open is dependent on keeping teachers and students healthy and out of quarantine.

   

  We want everyone to stay healthy and safe as we make our way through to the new year.  We hope for an effective vaccine and a return to a more normal existence in the near future.  But in the meanwhile...stay vigilant!

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Patricia Charles, Ed.D

  Interim Superintendent

  Westbrook Public Schools

  860-399-6432

   

  • Covid-Free Holidays.pdf

  Covid Info

• Confirmed Covid-19 Case At Daisy

  October 10, 2020

  Dear Parents, Staff, and Community Members:

  On October 10th, Westbrook Public Schools was notified that a member of our Daisy Ingraham School community has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The affected person has been instructed to remain home and quarantine for 14 days.

  The last day this person was at Daisy Ingraham School was October 7^th. We have not received any reports of other students or staff members experiencing illnesses with symptoms resembling those of COVID-19. Anyone who is considered a “close contact” with this person has been contacted or will be contacted by school or local health officials and provided with instructions on the appropriate steps to take.

  COVID-19 is spread mainly via person-to-person contact through contaminated air droplets from coughing and sneezing by an infected person. As with controlling the spread of other viruses, we urge everyone to discuss the following preventive measures with your children and family members:

  • Wash your hands frequently, but especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds. Be sure to also wash your fingertips. When soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze inside the elbow of your arm.
  • As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
  • Wear a face covering (mask) whenever there is a likelihood that you or your family members will be in the presence of others.
  • Maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet) between yourself and others when outside of your home.

  Below is the list of COVID-19 symptoms for which everyone should monitor in their family members:

  • Fever (100.4° Fahrenheit or higher)
  • Chills or shaking chills
  • Uncontrolled new cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • New loss of taste or smell

  For additional information on COVID-19 symptoms, please see:

  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

  Staff and students exhibiting any of the above symptoms, or feeling ill, should call their medical provider to report their symptoms and ask about testing prior to seeking in-person care at a clinic, physician’s office, or hospital.

  For more information on what to do if you or a family member has possible symptoms, a diagnosis, or exposure to COVID-19, please see:

  https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/COVID-19/Addendum-5-Interim-Guidance-for-Responding-to-COVID-19-Scenarios-in-CT-School-Districts.pdf

  Per privacy guidelines, no additional information can be shared regarding the COVID-19-positive individual.

  Mrs. Rose, Principal at Daisy Ingraham School, Zachary Faiella, Westbrook Health Director, and I will continue to work together to monitor the situation. If you have any questions, please call Zachary Faiella at 860-510-8894, Mrs. Rose at 860-399-7925 or me at 860-399-6432.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Patricia Charles

  Interim Superintendent

  Westbrook Public Schools

   

  Confirmed Covid-19 Case At Daisy

  • Confirmed COVID-19 Case at Daisy.pdf

  Covid Info

• Internet Safety by Scott Driscoll

  Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

  Attached is a flyer regarding two workshops, one for parents and one for students, about Internet Safety for your child.  With so many students doing distance learning, this is a timely and important topic.  Please attend for this informative presentation.

   

  Patricia Charles, Ed.D

  Interim Superintendent

  Westbrook Public Schools

  860-399-6432

  • Internet Safety Flyer 2020.pdf

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Students Switching Learning Modes

  Dear Parents,

  The teachers, administrators, and I are working hard to keep your children safe while continuing to maintain a strong educational program.  An increasing number of students are switching from remote instruction to in-person instruction, or the reverse, without providing the teachers time to prepare for this change.  This is making a challenging teaching environment even more difficult when trying to deliver planned activities.

  To make it easier on families who need to make this change and in the interest of getting the students back in school, the district is reducing the time to make a change in learning modes.  Please allow up to one week’s notice for students to make this change.  A letter from the parent or guardian to the principal is also required for these modifications to the learning plan.  Please do not put your child on the bus or drop them off at school if you have selected the voluntary remote learning option.  Similarly, do not keep your child home from school without a week’s notice and expect that the teacher will be able to immediately accommodate your child in lessons that were prepared for a different configuration of students. 

  We understand that there are students who the school and/or the Department of Health have mandated that they quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID.  The school will notify teachers of these students and will be able to immediately access lessons for those two weeks.  Parents who keep their child home for normal short-term illnesses or due to other family matters will be marked absent as they have in the past.

  Students moving in and out of school also jeopardize the cohorts that are being maintained to minimize exposure to other students.  We ask for your support in keeping all students and staff healthy and respect the desire for our staff to plan appropriately for the students in their classes.

  I hope you and your family remain healthy and safe during these uncertain times.

   

  Sincerely,

  Patricia Charles

  Superintendent

   

  • Covid Mode Switching 10-1.pdf

  Covid Info

• Message From the Board Of Education Chairman

  The Westbrook Superintendent Search Committee, with support from CABE search consultants, has reviewed applications and selected semi-finalists from a robust pool of applicants. The team has started the interview process and anticipates selecting finalists by mid-October. The Committee is on track to identify finalists for review of the full Board of Education by the end of October.

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Covid-19 Update from Westbrook Health Department

  To Westbrook High School Parents/Guardians:

  
  On Sunday, September 13th, in accordance with the policy of Westbrook Public Schools' Reopening Plan, the Westbrook Public Schools community was notified of a positive COVID-19 case associated with Westbrook High School. The three-day closure of Westbrook High School and the advisement of class cohorts to quarantine for 14 days was conducted out of an abundance of caution in consultation with the Westbrook Health Department and Connecticut Department of Public Health.
  
  

  Proper mask-wearing and social distancing protocols were followed during school, however, students who were in the identified class cohorts on Thursday, September 10th and Friday, September 11th were advised to quarantine for 14 days, again, out of an abundance of caution.

  
  If you or your child were not contacted as being a part of the affected class cohorts, your child may return to school on Thursday, September 17th.
  Due to privacy reasons, personal and identifiable information related to case investigations will not be disclosed by Westbrook Public Schools and Westbrook Health Department.

  
  The health and safety of our community is of utmost importance. The Westbrook Public Schools and Westbrook Health Department will continue to work cooperatively to assess and investigate COVID related events in Westbrook Public Schools.

   

  Sincerely,
  Zachary Faiella, MPH, RS
  Director of Health
  Westbrook Health Department
  866 Boston Post Road
  Westbrook, CT 06498
  Tel: (860) 399-9869
  Fax: (860) 399-5661
  Email: zfaiella@westbrookct.us

   

  Covid-19 Update from Westbrook Health Department

  Covid Info

• Positive Covid 19 Case at Westbrook High School

   

  September 13, 2020

   

  Dear Staff, Parents, and Guardians,

  This afternoon I became aware of a positive case for COVID-19 at Westbrook High School.  While we are unable to identify the individual due to the confidential nature of the medical information, we can share the steps we will be taking to respond to this information.

  What This Means for You and Your Child

  If your child was in the same class cohort, or in close contact with the confirmed positive individual, you will be contacted by the school and/or Westbrook Health Department and your child will be advised to self-quarantine for 14 days since last class cohort or close contact with the confirmed positive individual, per Addendum 9 of the Connecticut State Department of Education School Reopening Plan. Close contact is defined by the CDC as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. The school and/or local health department will notify you if this action is necessary.

  If your child is sick, stay home and contact your healthcare provider. We encourage you to continue social distancing, washing your hands, avoiding gatherings, and monitoring symptoms. If at any time, you or your child begin to develop symptoms of COVID-19 (such as cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell), please keep your child home from school and call your healthcare provider for next steps. It is recommended that you call ahead to your healthcare provider before going to the physician’s office, clinic, urgent care, or emergency room so they can be prepared for your arrival. They may also refer you to a testing clinic. For the most up to date testing information, call 2-1-1 or visit the United Way of Connecticut website: https://uwc.211ct.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information/

  What This Means for Our School

  The Westbrook Health Director, Zachary Faiella, has determined that the Westbrook High School facility needs to be closed for three days, September 14, 15, and 16.  These three days will enable the school to be thoroughly cleaned and to conduct the necessary contact tracing. The students will participate in distance learning during this period. Pending further information on this investigation, students and staff who have not been identified as either being close contacts or in the same class cohort as the confirmed positive individual will be allowed to return to school this Thursday, September 17. Please note reopening may be subject to change if additional positive cases are identified.

  The Westbrook Middle School will remain open due to the separate nature of that building and student traffic.

  Children may worry about how COVID-19 may impact them, their family, and friends. Parents and guardians can help children navigate this experience in an honest and accurate way to help minimize anxiety or fear. The CDC created recommendations to assist with these conversations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/talking-with-children.html.

  Thank you for your support in these efforts and your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we work together to promote the health and well-being of our community.

   

  Sincerely,

  Zachary Faiella

  Westbrook Director of Health

   

  Patricia Charles

  Interim Superintendent

  • Covid-19 Case 9-13-20.pdf

  Covid Info

• Message From the Board Of Education Chairman

  Dear Westbrook Schools Community,

   

  The Westbrook Board of Education has been made aware of the resignation of Lee Bridgewater, a longstanding Board of Education member for the past 12 years and a former Chair of the Board of Education. The Board is grateful for Mrs. Bridgewater’s exceptional service to the town and the students of Westbrook. She served on countless committees and led the Board from 11/2015-7/2020. Her commitment to the Town of Westbrook will be sorely missed.

   

  This vacancy provides a new opportunity for leadership within our community. The Board of Education is seeking candidates to join the Board of Education. If you would like to be considered as a candidate for the Westbrook Board of Education, please send a resume, letter of intent, and information regarding your party affiliation by August 30, 2020 to Cecilia Lester in the Board of Education office at clester@westbrookctschools.org.

   

  A special meeting is set for 09-01-2020 at 7:00 PM for interviews and to select the candidate who will serve on the Board until the next regular town election in 2021. The Board will interview the candidates in executive session for discussion of the appointment of a public officer. The vote will be held in public session.

   

  We urge all interested community members to apply for this very important work with the Westbrook Public Schools.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Zachary Hayden

  Chairman, Westbrook Board of Education

  • Board Of Education Message.pdf

  Westbrook Public Schools

• Athletics Update

  Good afternoon Westbrook Public Schools Families,

  This note is to provide updates on the status of sports programming at our schools. At this time the concept of public school sports in Connecticut is on hold until further guidance is provided to us by the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC).  At this time we encourage our high school student athletes to work virtually with their coaches via their team Google Classroom, to register for their Fall Sport via Power School if they have yet to do so, so that they are prepared if the opportunity to play presents itself.

  Below please find information via a letter early this afternoon to athletic directors on our next steps. Per this update please note that CIAC has extended the August 24^th revisit date to:

  ***The CIAC will delay the first date for all fall sports to Saturday, August 29, 2020.***

  CIAC High School Athletics Update – Friday, August 21^st:

  The CIAC Board of Control met this morning to review last night’s discussion with the DPH and establish a timeline for decisions on the start of fall sports. The CIAC has requested that the DPH consider allowing our member schools to resume the non-contact conditioning workouts which they have been conducting since July 6, 2020 as early as Monday. Additionally, the CIAC understands that, at today’s ReOpen CT Rules Committee meeting, consideration will be given to the inconsistent guidance issued for CIAC interscholastic athletics versus non-CIAC youth sport opportunities. The CIAC and the DPH will continue our collaborative work once an update from those discussions is available, either later today or over the weekend.
  
  For our member schools’ planning purposes, the CIAC Board of Control has established the following timeline:

  • The CIAC Board of Control will meet again at 7:00PM Sunday.
  • The CIAC Board of Control will submit modified fall sport plan options to the DPH for consideration, which it has indicated it would welcome for review.
  • The CIAC will delay the first date for all fall sports to Saturday, August 29, 2020.
    
    

  This timeline will allow the DPH adequate time to consider CIAC’s revised fall sports plans, which it will submit early next week, and athletic directors the time necessary to begin a sports season. The CIAC will update member schools on the return to conditioning workouts as soon as more information becomes available.

   

  Article:  GameTimeCT article on Fall Sports 8-21-2020

   

  WMS Interscholastic Sports and Intramurals:

  At this time, all after school activities, including athletics, are on hold at the middle school.  This hold will allow the middle school to evaluate the effectiveness of the strict cohorting model before beginning any expansion. We will revisit the possibility of after school activities, including sports, the week of September 21^st.    

  In the meantime if you have any questions or concerns related to athletics please do not hesitate to contact me via email at tcosgriff@westbrookctschools.org or the office at (860) 399 – 6214.

  Please know many people are advocating for our student-athletes at all levels for a safe and healthy return to sports when and where appropriate.

  Enjoy your weekend!

  GO KNIGHTS!

  Teg

  Teg Cosgriff, CMAA

  Director of Athletics

  Westbrook Public Schools

  156 McVeagh Road

  Westbrook, CT 06498

  (860) 399 - 6214 (O)

  • Athletics Update Aug 21 2020.pdf

  Covid Info