October 19, 2020

Julia McNamara

As a parent of 4 children attending school in the Wappingers Central School District, I am deeply concerned with the district’s handling of the school reopening plan. I also find it unconscionable that the district now seems to want to further delay the start date for middle school students. Wappingers Central School District has had plenty of time to address the transportation, WiFi and other logistical issues. I understand that WCSD is a large district, but there are many other large districts in the surrounding area who have reopened their schools successfully. The lack of in person education due to delays in reopening are causing irreparable harm to our children. Although our teachers are working hard to meet student needs, remote and hybrid learning are insufficient for academic growth. Children are also missing out on the important social and emotional skills that they learn when with groups of other children. I believe that these decisions have been especially devastating to families whose children have special needs, and that depriving children of in person learning will prove to be more devastating than their risk of contracting COVID-19.

We are pleading with the WCSD Board of Education and with the Governor of New York State to reopen our schools to in person learning for those families who wish to choose this option. We are also asking that the middle schools open without delay.

RESPONSE:

This week we shared with our community our Hybrid Learning Plan for secondary education. In this document we shared that Our Goal is to return to an in-person learning schedule that is as close to ‘normal’ as it possibly can be during a time when Hybrid Learning is required (i.e.: return to a traditional two-tier transportation schedule where all of our elementary and secondary schools are on the same transportation tier, and all of our secondary schools are in school for all of their instructional periods on the same day). As our staffing constraints are alleviated (hopefully sooner rather than later), this document, including our in-person schedule will be reviewed and modified accordingly.

Vanessa Francis

How can we fix this?... The communications we get always seem to evade any real answers, then change at the last minute. The supposed plans laid out seem to have no thought put into them, and when you are asked direct questions, you evade them. So, without any evasions, please answer this... How can families be expected to adjust to plans that change with no notice? How can families be expected to prepare our children for the next step when it is constantly changing? And how can we have any confidence in you when you do not answer any questions? Many of us have been patient, knowing that these decisions take time. Our patience is wearing thin. The families, teachers, faculty and especially the children deserve better than this. Thank you for your time.

RESPONSE:

The District will work harder at ensuring that the correspondence that goes out contains the correct information. In addition, we will attempt to provide information in advance to allow time for parents/families to make any adjustments to schedules that may be needed. Thank you for your patience.

Trish & Paul Rubino

We implore our school district to do right by our junior high & high school students. The elementary schools have transitioned to hybrid successfully & it is now their turn. They need the personal interaction with their teachers & their classmates, they need to thrive in a school building (with covid protocols of course) & have the opportunity to learn. Don’t let transportation be the obstacle to delay start...open the schools & let the opportunity be there for those who can get physically there.

RESPONSE:

Jann Guinn

I would like to see 9tn grade orientation addressed. These kids are new to the school and will have no idea where to go on the first day.

RESPONSE:

A 9th Grade Orientation activity will be taking place, you will receive a notification as to the details of these events from your building principal in the coming days.

Katherine Berak

With all the concern about The Hybrid Model starting for 7-12, I would like reassurance that the students who must remain in remote learning due to a medical condition are not lost in the process. As I am excited for the Hybrid students to be able to finally attend school, there seems to be so much focus on what their day will look like. No real solid information on what the remote students will receive. I was told they would remain with their current teachers and be able to log in to the class as the teacher is live with the hybrid students. I am hoping this remains the plan. Teachers aren’t clear what will happen. Telling students they might be switched to another teacher. Can you share any concrete information about what will happen with the remote learners once hybrid starts for the High school level?

RESPONSE:

This week we shared with our community our Hybrid Learning Plan for secondary education. We believe this topic is addressed within this Parent Guide.

Tony Cifelli

Has the district considered going back to a 3 tier system for busing

RESPONSE:

A three-tier transportation system will be utilized once the secondary schools begin the hybrid phase-in.

Madelyn Nunez

What will happen when it gets really cold, will the windows stay open?

RESPONSE:

The units in the classrooms bring in the fresh air. The outside damper will be adjusted to bring additional fresh air during the winter months.

Julie Fiege

How many days a week will 8th grade self-contained classes be in the school building?

RESPONSE: 4 days a week starting 11/9/2020.

Gail Duffy

I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential delay of the hybrid start for grades 7-12. I have a 7 th and 9 th grader , both who have started the school year in new schools and are anxiously looking forward to starting school in - person . I can not stress enough the importance of having all students be able to experience learning in person if that is the wish of the family . I am an administrator in another district and I understand fully the challenges the district is facing . I appreciate all of your efforts and hope that there can be some way to continue the hybrid schedule as planned . Our 7-12 students deserve to be given the same opportunities to learn in person as the k-6 cohort . Thank you for your consideration.

RESPONSE:

This week we shared with our community our Hybrid Learning Plan for secondary education. In this document, we shared that Our Goal is to return to an in-person learning schedule that is as close to ‘normal’ as it possibly can be during a time when Hybrid Learning is required (i.e.: return to a traditional two-tier transportation schedule where all of our elementary and secondary schools are on the same transportation tier, and all of our secondary schools are in school for all of their instructional periods on the same day). As our staffing constraints are alleviated (hopefully sooner rather than later), this document, including our in-person schedule will be reviewed and modified accordingly.

Mary Jo Lalor

If WCSD really cannot accommodate middle and high schoolers learning through a hybrid model, please make the remote day a full schedule day. My eighth and ninth grade daughters are sometimes off class meets in 10-15 minutes. This is unacceptable. Teachers should be live for the entire day. When my daughter with a 504 had difficulty in class, I was told by a high school Global Studies teacher at John Jay that her afternoon student time was not meant to help students. If that is the case, that extra time in teachers’ schedules is merely free time. Unacceptable.

Please make the entire day count. This request requires no extra bus drivers or extra live teachers.

As a teacher who has been teaching hybrid, I am especially angered when I think of my own children suffering in Wappingers.

RESPONSE:

This week we shared with our community our Hybrid Learning Plan for secondary education. In this document, we shared that Our Goal is to return to an in-person learning schedule that is as close to ‘normal’ as it possibly can be during a time when Hybrid Learning is required (i.e.: return to a traditional two-tier transportation schedule where all of our elementary and secondary schools are on the same transportation tier, and all of our secondary schools are in school for all of their instructional periods on the same day). As our staffing constraints are alleviated (hopefully sooner, rather than later), this document, including our in-person schedule will be reviewed and modified accordingly.

Laura Guglielmo

I just want to say the Teachers have been Amazing!!! That being said both my young children are really suffering socially from only seeing some kids when they attend the two days. Mentally they are different children the days of remote learning. It’s awful to see this depression as parents. Praying hard for my children’s sake that school resumes it’s normal 5day schedule soon! My husband and I are all so Thankful for everyone’s hard work it’s just that the remote learning is taking a serious toll of our kids emotional well-being. I work nights as a nurse and at my children’s ages of 6 & 8 they aren’t able yet to fully do the remote without me bouncing between them to help.

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your comment, we look forward to the day we can bring all students back to school 5 days per week as well. As soon as the state lifts COVID restrictions on social distancing and other such measures we will be able to consider bringing all students back to our classrooms.

Michael Reznicek

At what point will the children be able to go into school more than twice a week? What plan is in motion to get the kids in more? Virtual learning for K-5 is not ideal and these children deserve to be in the classroom more than twice a week. Please share what is actively being done to accommodate getting the k-5 kids more in person instruction.

RESPONSE:

Twice per week with one day of cleaning in between cohorts is probably the best we can do while we are subject to the constraints of COVID-19 NYS Department of Health Guidance. If we were to bring in more students on a given day it would likely result in classrooms that cannot adhere to the social distancing guidelines.

Donna Versace

According to an email received today from the BOE, the district is still short 20 bus drivers. It was shared that we have a shortage of custodians needed to help clean the buildings with the opening of the secondary hybrid. In addition, I was told that there is a need for subs to cover 225 periods at the secondary schools in order to open. Why has this information not been shared sooner with our community? Potentially you may have many more families willing to find the means of transporting their kids to and from school in order to get our students back into the buildings. Please ask and be more transparent. There may be people in our community who would be willing to apply as sub if they knew of the dire need. What recruitment and advertising means have been taken to fill these positions? I am watching my 7th grader deteriorate behind a computer emotionally, mentally and academically and it is frustrating that so much time has gone by without solutions. We cannot continue to delay this transition for the sake of our childrens' well-being.

RESPONSE:

The District has been addressing a bus driver shortage for two years. Adding the NYS DOH requirements to a stressed system has not helped. The District has been advertising through social media and print as well as on school marquees and even on our District vehicles. Job fairs both in person and virtual have also been attended. The in-house training program offered by WCSD has many interested candidates and the process has begun for future drivers.

Stephen Connellyam

Please keep your staff and our children's safety first. In spite of the push to open up 7-12, there are too many unanswered questions that lead to unsafe conditions. It is more important to save lives than open up.

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your comment, we will continue to do our best.

Cristina Maltais

Please find a way to have my 7th grader get back in school.This is no way for a honor roll student to be taught. He does better in school.

RESPONSE:

Allison Conti

Why can’t they have forty minute classes, respectfully this staff group is not even driving to work? Again the lessons can stay that 20-25 minutes but staff stays on to be sure a sample of assignment is submitted before dismissing if needed. For example in math inclusion, they are given 1-3 problems, complete, of accurate they can possibly dismiss, teacher can see problems in real time. Students that got them wrong can be pulled with perspective teacher for small group to retract properly (meet IEP need of check for understanding, etc) instead of having student starting work at 12:30, getting to Math around 2pm completing it inaccurately or not at all bc teachers day is done and then trying to relearn the proper way later on the week. Please let me know when we can expect a 40 minute or equivalent to 6 hour day, block for these students, and if we can’t why?

RESPONSE:

AnnMarie Reilly

Send our kids back to school! Stop changing plans every other day!

RESPONSE:

We will continue to do our best to bring students back to school on a daily basis.

Dana Nalbandian

7th and 8th grades need to start the hybrid model this week. Keep pushing for our children to go back to in school learning.

RESPONSE:

We continue to work towards this common goal.

Allison Conti

Public comments can only be read at the beginning of a meeting if they can be attached or connected to an agenda item. The public would like to have the BOE know their thoughts if an item is to be discussed. I’m not sure anyone of the hundreds watching live or 100s that watch it later believe that our present hybrid for k-6 or the lack of a secondary plan isn’t being discussed tonight. THE PUBLIC wants answers, honesty, and transparency and they deserve it!!

Please have that on agenda for the rest of the year.. if we are not discussing this item at a BOE meeting, the community has more concerns than it realized !! Thanks for your time,

RESPONSE:

The district has included an update on the Financial Status and Reopening Plan on every other board meeting agenda, and more frequently if needed. Discussions about the Reopening Plan would include the different instructional models (remote/hybrid/in-person). When the item is on the agenda, comments are read at the beginning of the meeting. When the item is not listed on the agenda, comments are read at the end of the meeting. Community members have the opportunity to submit comments at any time, not just during a board meeting, via wcsd.comments@wcsdny.org.

Tom Muller

I know that there are busing issues and many other things you are addressing to get the high school kids back but has anybody ever considered sending seniors and possibly juniors back since busing is not that much of an issue? As a father of a senior I feel so bad for them losing part of their junior year and now his senior year.

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your comment. We understand and are empathetic to all of our students who are missing so much. It certainly is not lost on us that our Seniors are missing out on major milestones this year (not unlike our Seniors last year). Our Goal is to return to an in-person learning schedule that is as close to ‘normal’ as it possibly can be during a time when Hybrid Learning is required (i.e.: return to a traditional two-tier transportation schedule where all of our elementary and secondary schools are on the same transportation tier, and all of our secondary schools are in school for all of their instructional periods on the same day). As our staffing constraints are alleviated (hopefully sooner rather than later), our in-person schedule will be reviewed and modified accordingly.

Liz Vilato

Please let our secondary students go back as planned this week. If the problem is staffing, there needs to be a creative solution. WCSD staff and faculty need to come back to school so our students can too. Most people don't get to work from home and our district should not allow this to affect the lives of our students and families. These kids are dealing with seven months of seclusion, isolation, loneliness and possible depression. Let them back in the classroom, please.

RESPONSE:

Jenna Ferris

I am concerned that my children in elementary school are only getting 2 days of instruction per week and an hour less a day due to bus transportation. Have more bus drivers been hired to ensure at least 2 full days of instruction? Will 100 percent in person be considered for this school year? Is there another phase in model to increase days?

RESPONSE:

100% in person will be considered once the NYS Department of Health COVID-19 restrictions are lifted for Districts across the state. Until then we will do our best to get as much in person time as possible within these restrictions.

Carla Tesoro

My children, 2nd and 4th, just want to be in school. Why are we not utilizing cafeterias, gyms, libraries, for classroom space like local parochial schools? Why are we not utilizing upper grade space? The emotional/social impact will be devastating for years to come.

RESPONSE:

We understand. We would like them to be in school as well. We will continue to do our best until full in-person instruction is once again possible.

Lisa Dwyer

While everyone is still figuring out if we can get the kids into school can we at least change the time schedule to a full day so they are actually getting enough education??? Supposedly they are working independently but not sure how a kids is suppose to teach themselves. Without question they are getting a fraction of what they would normally get. Please extend the virtual day to match the original day, like elementary... So these kids learn everything that they are suppose to.

That's an easy fix that doesn't need bus drivers or subs.

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your comment. We will revisit the current remote schedule and make adjustments as necessary.

Suzanne Puma

The secondary schools need to be open as so many neighboring districts have done. If the issue is lack of bus drivers and subs, what additional steps has the district taken to advertise and recruit for these positions?

RESPONSE:

Elaine DellaPia

I’m writing today to voice my concern of the many rumors floating around about the school year. One is that Grades 7-12 will not being going back to the classroom because of transportation issues or not enough bandwidth. The district, in my opinion has not been transparent in informing the community of the issues at hand, resulting in the parents and teachers/principals being keep in the dark about what is really going on. We moved to this district about 6 years ago for the education and the opportunity for our kids. Our taxes have never been question by us and we support the PTA and fundraising for the district until now. My words cannot express my disappointment in the choices that have been made regarding remote/hybrid learning.

I have 3 boys in the district, one at each level; elementary, middle and high school. All have either a 504 or an IEP. Home schooling has proved very difficult for them and they certainly have regressed in areas such as reading and writing since the Spring. To hear that they may not be going back will do a huge disservice, not only to my children but to all the students that fall inside this district. I don’t understand why accommodations haven’t been made for those students that have IEPs/504s and/or for juniors and seniors who are preparing for the next step of their education, to get them in school and address their issues at hand.

Remote learning started in the Spring and understandably your hands were tied waiting for the state to issue their requirements but, unfortunately, either preparation was not done or started too late for the Fall. Many other districts, public and private have implemented plans for their students - WCSD is way behind. Not sending the kids back should not even be a discussion. This in my option, is negligence. The students are falling way behind their peers that are in other districts, public and/or private.

I also question teachers working from home. There are distractions on both ends of the computer screen and with many classes being condensed, any distraction should be as minimal as possible. I have seen distractions on both the students part and the teacher.

I see a difference in the children of this community. All the kids, from young to old want to be in school. They learn better in school. They need the social aspect of school. They need to be in school. Do not punish the children because you could not prepare in a timely manner, these children do not deserve that.

RESPONSE:

Janine Greco

Has the district been comparing and collaborating with districts of similar size and structure that have been in school in a hybrid model so WCSD could adopt some of their best practices or ways they have resolved some of the issues/obstacles WCSD is still experiencing?

RESPONSE:

Allison Conti

Please have that on agenda for the rest of the year.. if we are not discussing this item at a BOE meeting, the community has more concerns than it realized !!

RESPONSE: Thank you for your comment.

Mike Versace

I am sharing a letter from my son to the board:

Dear Board of Ed and Superintendent, My name is (student name withheld) and I am a 7th grader who goes to Van Wyck. I want to be in school because I miss my friends. I want to meet my teachers in person and get to know them. I want them to get know me.

I feel like sitting behind a computer is not the best way to learn, even though my teachers are great. It is unfair that other 7th graders around us get to go into school and we don’t. I feel lonely behind a computer screen. There are some days I feel bored and sad.

I don’t love learning as much as I used to. I feel like I am less productive and motivated sitting at home.

Please find a way to get us back in school. Thank you.

RESPONSE:

Michael McFarland

In a follow up email is a handful of the emails and social media posts that are either inaccurate due to lack of honesty, transparency or planning by this district. Secondary schools are responsibly planning fir their students to return via dates given by district, it is clear however via Saturday's email that the distruct had other plans. This type of behavior causes distrust of our leaders at no fault of their own. I’m addition getting any child excited for their return date and then continuously pulling the plug and this causes anxiety for district parents, teachers and most importantly these children. The secondary students are reliving the hell of this spring ... when we had no choice but to add two weeks at a time and then wondering if they would return ... many of these kids are reliving this hell for a second time and unfairly ... JUST GIVE AN HONEST ANSWER!! If we must keep secondary home any longer tell us, BUT YOU must consider finding a way for your special ed students to return on those posted dates. I believe reconvening a committee that and I others would gladly volunteer for to make happen. Additionally the states request to involve stakeholders in return process was not intended to be a UTUBE presentation ... correct me if I’m wrong. Thank you.

RESPONSE:

Gordon Cooke

How can you claim that WCSD is exceeding the health standards and then propose NOT sanitizing between cohorts? NYS Dept of Health has clearly stated that schools must follow CDC guidelines. CDC guidelines, in multiple places, state that disinfecting should occur daily (even when used by the same students the next day) as well as between uses by another student. Not disinfecting between cohorts, because it is a different day, and claiming you are exceeding requirements is unacceptable. As you move to bring high school students back- to rotate between classrooms every period, and not disinfect between use, let alone between cohorts or each day, is NOT "exceeding requirements" As a parent in this district- it is appalling how poorly the district has done creating a "plan".

RESPONSE:

This was probably a misunderstanding, what was meant was that deep cleaning will not occur between days the same cohort is in attendance.

Allison Conti

I appreciate any sincere efforts attempting to be made on behalf of these kids. I did not receive a reply to the email about the half time schedule the secondary schedule that secondary kids have been given since the beginning of the year, as the secondary schedule has been released it is obvious that district office but not the families ( it it seems the educational staff ) was informed that this was the hybrid plan that would be used.

The statement below is from my child today which is why I’m sending you yet another email. My daughter asked me this:

“Why do we now have break out rooms but no time to do them?”

“Why can’t they just tell us the real day we are going back?”

“Why can’t we just have every class full periods like we used to?”

“I’m no longer doing school, it’s too complicated like this ..... I always did classwork for my teacher to see if I understood”

I’m hearing this from so many!

This is some of the issues tons of us have put forward, again I’m no longer asking that all go back, for my child and all the others let’s just be honest with the families and make a better plan than this half period plan. Get all your secondary staff in that can teaching from their rooms ( special ed kids in the building) others with full time virtual... and let these kids have some sanity back already.

RESPONSE:

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October 19, 2020

Elaine DellaPia