(860) 399-6432 Fax: (860)
August 23, 2017 Dear Parents/Guardians: On Wednesday, August 30th, 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 opening of schools has always been an exciting day to reconnect with one another and to learn about improvements, changes and progress in our schools and our engaging programs. This year, many schools across CT anticipate a delayed opening due to State of CT budgetary concerns. I am pleased to assure you that Westbrook schools will open without delay and, thanks to the efforts of our Board of Education, our elected town officials/boards & committees as well as our school district professionals; we are opening an exciting new year. Here are just a few of the improvements that our students and staff will enjoy.
A new high school one-to-one technology program will place a laptop into the hands of every high school student with which they will have opportunities both in and out-of-school to grow their technology skills and drive their own learning. Our current technology is redeployed and our Middle and Elementary Schools have received more laptops and carts so that every student will have access to a computer throughout the school day. Significant updates have been completed on our website and webpages. A primary internal and external communication tool, we hope you will find our webpages easier to navigate and to find answers to your questions. Last year, we saw exciting growth in our athletic programs for students and we anticipate even more participation this year. Renovations and safety upgrades in our gymnasiums have been completed and eager students have already been wowed by the new look. This fall, Westbrook High School anticipates a successful visit by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Accreditation visit. Many thanks are given deservedly so to our high school principal and faculty for their tireless work over the past 3 years to prepare for the decennial reaccreditation designation.
Of course, we are more committed than ever to holding ourselves accountable for your student’s success; always measuring our own performance relative to theirs. We understand that mastery is a journey, not just a set of scores and we are dedicated to giving our students the individual support on their personal journey to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. We will continue to lead the efforts of CT to become the first truly restorative state. Sustaining positive school climates, working with our students in partnership and training staff in the use of restorative practices will continue to be the cornerstone of the relationships we forge with students, families and with our community. Students deserve to understand their civic responsibility to be truly college and career-ready, and we have launched collaboration with other school districts to enhance our students’ 158 McVeagh Road, Westbrook, CT 06498 Email: [email protected] Phone: (860) 399-6432 Fax: (860) 399-8817
exposure to community through internships, job shadowing, school and community project opportunities. Paralleling that work, we have entered into collaborative agreements with other school districts to share knowledge, trainings, and in some cases staffing. A major priority for school year 2017 – 18 comes to us through legislation. Public Act 14-196 requires that all students in all grades (Kindergarten to 12th grade) must have curriculum delivery that is designed to help them develop the skills, language and awareness necessary to protect themselves from sexual assault and abuse. As with all safety and security policies and procedures, we have taken a full year to design age-appropriate content for our students. All staff were trained in June and will have follow-up training next Monday, August 28th. Delivery of these brief mandated curriculum units will not take place until we have completed our parent education forum, which will be scheduled in the early fall. I am most proud of our professional staff for the critical work they have completed toward educating all of our children to protect themselves from this recognized threat to their safety. I encourage all parents/guardians to attend the education forum when it is announced. Our wider Westbrook community has always been intensely supportive of our safety and security protocols and I thank you in advance for helping us to prioritize these mandatory curriculum additions. Again, it is exciting to plan for and welcome our students every school year and I 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 2017 - 2018! You have my sincere best wishes for a wonderful year.
Patricia A. Ciccone Superintendent of Schools cc:
Ruth Rose, Principal, Daisy Ingraham School Sharon Weirsman, Principal, Westbrook Middle School Tara Winch, Principal, Westbrook High School Madeline Illinger, Special Services Director Westbrook Public Schools Staff & Faculty Westbrook Board of Education
A new high school one-to-one technology program will place a laptop into the hands of every high school student with which they will have opportunities both in and out-of-school to grow their technology skills and drive their own learning. Our current technology is redeployed and our Middle and Elementary Schools have received more laptops and carts so that every student will have access to a computer throughout the school day. Significant updates have been completed on our website and webpages. A primary internal and external communication tool, we hope you will find our webpages easier to navigate and to find answers to your questions. Last year, we saw exciting growth in our athletic programs for students and we anticipate even more participation this year. Renovations and safety upgrades in our gymnasiums have been completed and eager students have already been wowed by the new look. This fall, Westbrook High School anticipates a successful visit by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Accreditation visit. Many thanks are given deservedly so to our high school principal and faculty for their tireless work over the past 3 years to prepare for the decennial reaccreditation designation.
Of course, we are more committed than ever to holding ourselves accountable for your student’s success; always measuring our own performance relative to theirs. We understand that mastery is a journey, not just a set of scores and we are dedicated to giving our students the individual support on their personal journey to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. We will continue to lead the efforts of CT to become the first truly restorative state. Sustaining positive school climates, working with our students in partnership and training staff in the use of restorative practices will continue to be the cornerstone of the relationships we forge with students, families and with our community. Students deserve to understand their civic responsibility to be truly college and career-ready, and we have launched collaboration with other school districts to enhance our students’ 158 McVeagh Road, Westbrook, CT 06498 Email: [email protected] Phone: (860) 399-6432 Fax: (860) 399-8817
exposure to community through internships, job shadowing, school and community project opportunities. Paralleling that work, we have entered into collaborative agreements with other school districts to share knowledge, trainings, and in some cases staffing. A major priority for school year 2017 – 18 comes to us through legislation. Public Act 14-196 requires that all students in all grades (Kindergarten to 12th grade) must have curriculum delivery that is designed to help them develop the skills, language and awareness necessary to protect themselves from sexual assault and abuse. As with all safety and security policies and procedures, we have taken a full year to design age-appropriate content for our students. All staff were trained in June and will have follow-up training next Monday, August 28th. Delivery of these brief mandated curriculum units will not take place until we have completed our parent education forum, which will be scheduled in the early fall. I am most proud of our professional staff for the critical work they have completed toward educating all of our children to protect themselves from this recognized threat to their safety. I encourage all parents/guardians to attend the education forum when it is announced. Our wider Westbrook community has always been intensely supportive of our safety and security protocols and I thank you in advance for helping us to prioritize these mandatory curriculum additions. Again, it is exciting to plan for and welcome our students every school year and I 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 2017 - 2018! You have my sincere best wishes for a wonderful year.
Patricia A. Ciccone Superintendent of Schools cc:
Ruth Rose, Principal, Daisy Ingraham School Sharon Weirsman, Principal, Westbrook Middle School Tara Winch, Principal, Westbrook High School Madeline Illinger, Special Services Director Westbrook Public Schools Staff & Faculty Westbrook Board of Education
