The NJHS application was due yesterday. However, given these unprecedented circumstances, we are extending the deadline to submit applications. Students can continue to submit applications(either online or drop off at VW) until April 4th. Applicants who submit late should include a short statement with the application on the circumstances behind the lateness. That statement would give us the context for the latenesses and provide the Faculty Council with valuable information in regards to decision making.

#ICYMI: Due to Governor Cuomo’s State Order, there is no public access to WCSD school campuses, including playgrounds. Thank you for your understanding.

Links to Support Students During a Crisis

https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

https://www.consumerreports.org/coronavirus/home-with-kids-during-cornavirus-outbreak/

https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4885.pdf

Use of School Grounds

We would like to notify the public that our school campuses are closed.  This includes the track and fields, as well as all playground equipment. We kindly ask that you avoid campus use altogether.  Once our campuses open back up for public use, we will let everyone know.

Please click on this link to review the March 20, 2020 memo from NYSED or read below.

NYS State Grades 3-8 Assessments

Statement From Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and Interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe Regarding Elementary- and Intermediate-Level State Assessments

Chromebook Distribution

The Wappingers Central School District is developing plans to make Chromebooks available for the students who have indicated that they do not have a device to access schoolwork remotely from home. The District will provide one Chromebook per household for the duration of the school closure for those who qualify. For families requesting a Chromebook, please complete the Student Chromebook Request form. You can also call your child’s school and request assistance for a Chromebook. In the event that you receive a voicemail, please leave your message and we will be sure to return your call.  Families will be contacted with a scheduled date and time when the devices are ready for pickup.  More details and additional instructions about this program will be shared next week.

Student and Parent Access to Buildings 

As a reminder, due to State and County restrictions, we are unable to allow parents and students access to school buildings. When these restrictions change, we will reevaluate this matter. Please note that registration is closed and all appointments, including kindergarten registration, will be rescheduled. Committee on Special Education (CSE), Committee on Preschool Education ( CPSE), and 504 meetings are canceled until further notice and will be rescheduled.  

The District has created a special phone extension that will accept voicemail where you will be able to ask questions or request information.  We have set up this account to notify key staff that you have left a message and wish a call back. That phone number is 845-298-5000 extension 40411.  You can also send general email requests to wcsd.comments@wcsdny.org.

Updated on March 20, 2020

Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Administration

The CollegeBoard announced that for the 2019-20 exam administration only, students will be able to take a 45-minute online exam at home.  Prior to the exam, the CollegeBoard is pledging to provide free, live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country.  This is new information for us to continue to review, but we are excited by the opportunity to ensure our AP students are able to continue their work in a manner that is sanctioned by the CollegeBoard.  For additional information, please refer to the CollegeBoard website.  We will share information as to when the online exams will be administered and what the online AP instruction will entail once it becomes available. 

Advanced Placement Testing and Deadlines

The health and safety of students and educators is our top priority.  We’re closely monitoring the updates and guidance about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading health organizations. On Friday, we launched a web page on AP Central to provide information about flexible testing options for schools experiencing substantial disruption or closure and guidance for schools that plan to maintain AP instruction while students are at home.    The website is https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update.

The AP Program is developing resources to help schools support student learning during extended closures, as well as a solution that would allow students to test at home, depending on the situation in May. Additional information will be posted by March 20.

We will announce portfolio submission deadline extensions for AP 2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, Computer Science Principles, Drawing, Research, and Seminar courses by March 20.

SAT Testing

https://www.collegeboard.org/releases/2020/college-board-cancels-may-sat-response-coronavirus

In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), the College Board is canceling the May 2, 2020, SAT administration. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled March 28) are also canceled. Registered students will receive refunds.

The College Board will provide future additional SAT testing opportunities for students as soon as feasible in place of canceled administrations. We’ll be as flexible as possible to give students the best chance to show their skills and stay on the path to college. We have not yet canceled the June 6, 2020, SAT administration and will continue to assess its status with the health and safety of students and educators as our top priority.

To help students keep their college readiness skills sharp when many schools are closed, the College Board and Khan Academy will continue to provide free resources online, including full-length practice tests and personalized learning tools at khanacademy.org/sat. 

In the coming days, the College Board will share additional information and details directly with registered students and test centers. A webpage with regularly posted information about the impact of the virus on the SAT can be found here.  

Click here to read the article from the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Or read below.

Schools around Dutchess County closed for at least two weeks on Monday. For thousands of local students enrolled in meal-assistance programs, that also created a hurdle in obtaining food.

But, several local restaurants are stepping up to assist students that depended on school meals. And, others can let the Journal know about their service so more students can get involved.

As of Monday, about 25 people had signed up for the Mamma Musetti's free lunch program. The Wappingers Falls café is offering several sandwich options, along with fruit, chips and a juice box.

"We just want to make sure every kid is fed and has what they need to get by," she said.

Sinapi's Pizza in Wappinger is also hosting a lunch program. Those interested can call the restaurant at 845-214-0996 and ask for Luigi or Peter Sinapi.

And Publick House 23 in Pleasant Valley is offering free bagged lunches to students impacted by school closures in the Pleasant Valley area.

There are other restaurants helping out, and the Journal would like to help connect them with students in need.

Restaurants and businesses offering a free meal program for students can send information to newsroom@poughkeepsiejournal.com and gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com to be published online and in print.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4882; Twitter: @GeoffWilson_

Orders can be made by calling 845-297-9365.

In the Governor’s Executive Order, he authorized the Commissioner of Education to waive the requirement under the Education Law, that school districts have at least 180 days of school (including Superintendent Conference Days) in order to receive the maximum amount of State Aid.  However, this declaration requires that in order to be eligible for the waiver of the 180-day requirement, the District must use all remaining emergency closing days and planned recess or vacation days.  Therefore, the District’s three remaining emergency closing days will be used March 17th- March 19th.  In order to cover the remaining six closing days, the District will be required to make up those days during the April Spring Break.  Therefore, please be advised that school will now be open during the previously scheduled April Spring Break.  Also, please be advised that if the District is to close beyond March 27th, the District will be required to be open on Friday, May 22nd as well.

Furthermore, an updated school calendar will be provided by March 30th to help illustrate our in-class days for the remainder of the year.  

Updated: March 18, 2020:

We received a question on our new voicemail box 298-5000 ext 40411 that we believe warrants a response to everyone.  

Each year we require daycare transportation forms to be submitted by April 1st for the upcoming school year.  

At this point in time, we are offering an exception to this deadline, which will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.  Once we have established a new date for when this form needs to be submitted by we will let everyone know.

WCSD is waiting for guidance from NYSED on the possibility of extending the deadline for requesting Childcare/Daycare and Private and Parochial transportation requests. As soon as information is available, this will be updated.

Updated March 18, 2020:New York State English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments/Tests As of right now, NYS has suspended the shipment of the ELA testing materials.  This exam was originally scheduled to take place during the week of March 23rd.  As of today, we have not received additional or further guidance indicating when or if these exams will be administered this school year.

To date, we do not have information from NYSED on the status of State Regents and AP Exams. Once guidance is provided, we will share it with you.

Continuity of Learning and Chromebook Distribution

All of our plans to begin our Continuity of Learning has been effectively pushed back by two days. Chromebook pick-ups originally planned for Monday, March 30th & Tuesday, March 31, will tentatively occur on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.  

WCSD Staff will continue to plan and prepare materials on April 1st  and 2nd to provide Continuity of Learning for students as they learn from home. Friday, April 3rd, will be the first day students will receive new learning from their teachers. It is being recommended that teachers use Google Classroom as the main platform to communicate with students and provide lessons and activities to students. If you are not familiar with Google Classroom, a resource is available for you to review how Google Classroom works and how a student logs-in. Additional resources will be provided to you as you support your child’s learning at home. 

We will also have materials made available to you if you are not able to access this information remotely.  We are very well aware that this will be the reality for families in our District and it is being addressed.

As mentioned in a previous communication, all athletics are postponed through the end of March. As additional information is received, we will make announcements.