January 6, 2021

Dear WPS Parent/Guardian:

The second semester of the school year begins on February 1st. You have the option to have your child continue in the fully remote learning model for the remainder of the year or return to in-person learning on February 1st. We need to know your decision by Monday, January 11th so that we can determine schedules and staffing allocations.

If you opt to continue in the fully remote model, there will be no change to your child’s schedule or teachers.

As you know, the district’s in-person learning is currently a hybrid model. Under this model, students in preschool through grade 3 attend school 4 days per week (M, T, Th, and F) and attend remotely on Wednesdays. Students in grades 4 through 12 are assigned to one of two cohorts. Students attend in person 2 days per week (either M, T or Th, F), and attend remotely on the other 3 days. Please note that it is possible that during the second semester there could be changes to the model. The Westwood School Committee continuously monitors the public health metrics and could decide to resume full in-person learning if the metrics and other logistical requirements were met. In addition, similar to changes during semester one when in-person time was increased in grades 2 and 3, the district could decide to make adjustments to the schedule within our current parameter of maintaining 6 ft. of physical distancing.

If you opt to change models, your child’s schedule or teacher(s) may change. Students who are currently in fully remote sections (i.e. PreK, K, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8) and opt to return to in-person learning will be reassigned to in-person sections taught by a different teacher. Students in grades 4 and 5 will be assigned to a cohort within their current teacher’s classroom.  At the high school, every effort will be made to assign students to a cohort within their current class sections; we believe that this should be possible, but there could be a few exceptions based on classroom capacity.

We know that it is difficult to make a decision for second semester when the public health picture is changing and there are many unknown variables. Similarly, it is challenging for us to make operational decisions without concrete parameters. We’re all working within an evolving framework and making the best decisions we can with the information we have right now. At this point, given the COVID-19 numbers, we anticipate that the fully remote option will be in place for the remainder of the school year. However, even the fully remote model is potentially subject to change, if, for example, the COVID-19 numbers dramatically improved, the vaccine were broadly available, etc. and the district resumed “normal” operations.

Please respond to this form by January 11th letting us know your decision. As always, we will continue to work with families throughout the spring and to the maximum extent possible will respond flexibly to changing circumstances.

If you have questions or would like to have a conversation before making your decision, please contact your child’s principal. (For students attending the Westwood Web, contact your home school’s principal.)

Sincerely,

Emily J. Parks

Superintendent