As we enter the second full week in February we continue to reflect on our practices and where possible, adjust what we are able to offer and provide our students. We know so much more about the transmission of COVID-19 now than we did earlier in the school year. We know that schools are safe and we know that the different protocols that students and staff are following are working. From the start, it has been our intention to bring our younger students in school as often as possible. With that said, West Genesee Middle School will bring students into school on Wednesdays starting on March 3rd.
Wednesday will become an alternating third day of school for students who attend in-person. For example, our Group A MON-TUE students will attend school in-person on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the week of March 1st and have their remote days on Thursday and Friday. The Group B THU-FRI students will attend in-person on Thursday and Friday of that week, and have their remote days on Monday through Wednesday as they typically do. The following week the Wednesday would alternate with our Group A MON-TUE students attending school in-person on Monday and Tuesday, and the Group B THU-FRI students attending in-person on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The alternating Wednesdays will continue throughout the second semester and will provide each group with eight additional days of in-person instruction.
The flexibility of our families in transporting students to and from school throughout the year has allowed us to make this hybrid model work. As we add Wednesdays into the schedule, we need to rely on our families to transport their child(ren) on the alternating Wednesday. If you currently transport your child(ren), but are not able to do so on the alternating Wednesday, contact West Genesee Middle School at 315-487-4615. Anyone currently utilizing District transportation will have transportation provided on the alternating Wednesday.
We are hopeful that both students and families are as excited as our staff about the opportunity to increase in-person instruction and experiences. An additional in-person opportunity to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our 5th and 6th grade students is essential.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and staff.
Steve Dunham
Principal & Director of Secondary Education
Email: sdunham@westgenesee.org
Twitter: @Sdunhamwgms
