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Alison Villanueva, Ph.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Friday, July 2, 2021

Dear Watertown Faculty, Families, and Students,

The summer is off to a running start! As we get ready for a long weekend of festivities with friends and family to celebrate America’s Independence, I wish you all a wonderful Fourth!

Sincerely,

Dr. V

Happenings and Useful Information

Food Service

WPS will be offering summer meal service to our families beginning next Wednesday, July 7th, 2021. Please pre-order your meal for July 7 by filling out the linked form to assist our cafeteria team in preparing an accurate number of meal kits. 

  • Meal pickup is held in the Swift Middle School Bus Loop on Wednesday, July 7th from 10:00AM-11:30AM

  • Pickup will include 7 days worth of breakfasts and lunches

  • Reminder: Meals are intended for all children 18 and under

  • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Food Service Director at Schipkejo@watertownps.org

Summer Stressbuster Series

During the months of July and August, WPS is offering a ‘fun’ variety of health and wellness workshops to faculty and staff. The first set of ‘Wednesday Wellness Workshops’ will take place on July 14 and July 21. In partnership with The Angel Cooperative a small business in CT dedicated to being Purveyors of Positivity four sessions of calming and relaxation activities will be offered. If there are any remaining spots for any of the sessions they will be made available to the entire WPS community late next week.

A Message from the Tech Department: Powerschool Platform

Beginning Tuesday, July 6 to August 6, 2021 WPS Powerschool will be undergoing updates and adjustments in preparation for the 2021-2022 academic year. During this time, parent access to Powerschool will be limited and/or closed to allow internal work to continue.

Powerschool will reopen again fully in the start of August for students and families to utilize.

Another Free Summer Math Challenge

The Summer Math Challenge is a free, six-week program that helps your child practice math skills taught during the school year. When you enroll your child, you’ll get access to daily fun activities and resources designed for your child’s grade and ability level.

The 2021 Lexile Summer Math Challenge started on Monday, June 21st but it’s not too late to jump in on the challenge!

Register for a free account to begin. After you register, come back here to enroll your child so that you will receive a reminder before the challenge begins.

WHS Summer Bridge - Entering 9th Grade

WHS is offering a free, week-long Summer Bridge Program for any interested incoming ninth graders. Please watch this brief video that our students created about the Summer Bridge Program by clicking here! And click here for an information sheet/permission slip about the Summer Bridge Program.

CSDE: Affordable Summer Enrichment Programs Available Across CT

The CTState Department of Education used a portion of their ARP ESSER set-aside to expand access to low-cost summer experiences intended to help students reengage and get caught up for the fall. Click the link below to learn more about these enrichment programs. Families can search a variety of affordable options in the area by visiting: https://summerct.org. Watch a video here: https://vimeo.com/563431003/d7547ffce5 

WPS Reopening Plan

If you have any questions or comments regarding the first draft of the WPS Reopening plan please contact: reopening@watertownps.org We look forward to sharing additional adjustments to this document throughout this summer as additional information is provided to all school districts.

Quote of the Week

“The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen nor touched...but are felt in the heart” ~ Helen Keller