District Updates

• ⚠️ Powerschool Cybersecurity Incident
• 📎 Equity Monitoring Report
• ☀️ Summer Camps
• ✏️ Act 139 Requirements in the EWSD
• 🤖 Supporting Artificial Intelligence
• 📚 Reading League Resources
• 🗓️ EWSD Calendar of Inclusive Holidays/Recognition Days
• 🌿Calling All EWSD Alumni: Share Your Story!
• ⭐ Join Our EWSD Team!

EWSD in the News

Happenings

Upcoming Events

• 🔔 No School Reminder (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
• 🔋 Battery Blitz Challenge
• 🥍 Essex Youth Lacrosse Registration
• 💻 Girls Who Code Club
• 💙 Mental Health Anxiety Support Group

EWSD Social Media

The EWSD continues to learn about the recent Powerschool breach of data within their Student Information System (SIS). As reported directly to you last week, the EWSD had an exposure of ONLY our teacher tables that exist within the SIS and notifications have been sent on what was compromised to those individuals.

No social security numbers were exposed, and no student data was impacted. We continue to monitor information from Powerschool on this incident and more information will be forthcoming as we learn it. Powerschool has also released a webpage specific to the incident on their site.

Erin Maguire, Director of Equity and Inclusion and Co-Director of Student Support Services, along with EHS students, EWSD teachers, and community members presented at the School Board meeting on January 7. The topic of the presentation was the monitoring of the EWSD Equity Policy which came into existence in 2020.

The group spoke about the work of the Equity Advisory Committee, EHS Social Justice Union, the EWSD school-based equity teams, and more in their efforts to interface with the equity policy goals. The Essex Reporter also posted a story about the presentation on January 9.

While it may not feel like it outside, summer will be here before we know it, and now is the time to explore summer camp options for your students! Registration for local camps open as early as February 1. From sports and arts to STEM and outdoor adventures, there’s a camp to suit every interest and spark new passions.

Essex Junction Recreation and Parks and Essex Parks and Recreation both provide camp offerings at our local parks and within our District schools. The Vermont Camp Association, a consortium of summer camps, camp programs, and camp professionals serving youth, has a lengthy list of camp options with a map of locations on their website.

In July of 2024, the state government passed a law that is referred to as Act 139. At its simplest, Act 139 is a bill focused on improving early reading skills in grades K-3. The bill requires several things of all schools in Vermont, and you can learn more about Act 139 requirements on the Agency of Education website.

We are ready to meet these requirements in the Essex Westford School District. To read the full letter including upcoming information and more about this implementation, visit this document.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a prominent topic in education, appearing in conversations, workshops, and training sessions. Our efforts have primarily focused on the high school and middle school levels, where our Digital Learning Leaders have been invaluable in guiding this work. We encourage you to explore the resources created specifically for teachers and staff on the high school and middle school pages. These resources are comprehensive and can also support meaningful conversations about AI at home.

The Reading League is an organization that aims to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. If you are interested in learning more about how children learn to read, here are some resources:

• Parent Introduction to the Science of Reading
• Harvard Medical School: How We Learn to Read
• The Reading Brain: How We Learn to Read
• Wes Hoover Explains the Simple View of Reading
• Learning to Read: A Primer
• Reading Rockets Ten Myths About Learning to Read

This is an important time of year to be inclusive of the history of Civil Rights in this county. Equity calls on all of us to continue toward improved outcomes in human rights and recognizing those who have come before is essential. Several days of recognition are celebrated on January 20; such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Civil Rights Day.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held on January 27, and on February 1, National Freedom Day, is a holiday originally proposed by Major Richard Robert Wright, Sr., a former slave, which marks the day in 1865 when the 13th Amendment effectively ended slavery in the United States.

Did you graduate from a school in the Essex Westford School District? We’d love to hear from you! EWSD is reconnecting with alumni to spotlight the incredible journeys and successes of our graduates. Whether you're forging a career, following your interests, or finding your own path, your story is a valuable part of our legacy. By sharing, you’ll inspire current students and help celebrate the impact of an EWSD education.

Ready to share? Complete this brief Google Form and follow us on social media to see featured alumni spotlights. Your journey continues to shape EWSD—submit your story today!

Are you or someone you know looking for a rewarding career? The EWSD is hiring! Our job site is updated frequently with exciting opportunities across our 10 schools. Here are just a few of the positions we are currently seeking to fill:

• Assistant Principal (ADL)
• Long-Term Substitute Spanish Teacher (EHS)
• Substitute Teacher & Paraeducator (District-wide)
• Substitute School Nurse (District-wide)

Explore these roles and many others on our website.📍 Visit Our Careers Page. We would love to have you join our team!

• Georgia Boy Scout begins fundraising for modern sign at GEMS (Saint Albans Messenger)
• Essex High School seeks gift card donations for 6th Winter Warmth Fundraiser (Essex Reporter)
• Vermont school districts struggled to pass budgets in 2024. Will 2025 be different? (Essex Reporter)
• Essex cosmetology school brings training to students, style to community (Essex Reporter)
• Vermonter Liam Redmond helps launch a 'social ride network' at Notre Dame: How it works (Burlington Free Press)
• Vermont’s Congressional Delegation to hold roundtable discussion & celebration with Vermont U.S. Service Academy nominees (Vermont Business Magazine)
• Three-time state champion named Vermont Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year (Burlington Free Press)

Reminder that there will be no school on Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

School will resume on Tuesday, January 21. For a full list of planned school closures, visit our school calendars online.

A group of Thomas Fleming students are participating in a “battery blitz challenge,” encouraging students to learn about recycling batteries and get more involved.

Students have placed boxes at local businesses (Boxcar Bakery, Brownell Library, and Firebird Cafe) and at the school, as they are encouraging community members to drop off their old batteries at one of these locations so that they can be recycled properly.

Register for the boys and girls 2025 spring season! Residents of the Town of Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford are all welcome.

• Tiny Sticks for grades K-2 will be at Essex High School on Saturdays starting May 3 through June 7.
• League play for grades 3-8 will be at Essex Middle School and Maple Street Park starting on March 31 through June 8.

Equipment is available upon request. Registration and Program information can be found at www.essexyouthlacrosse.com.

University of Vermont's Girls Who Code Clubs are meant for girls to join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models, and use computer science to change the world. When students join a club, they will be able to learn from fun and simple online coding tutorials, build community through interactive activities, and learn about inspiring role models.

Our middle and high school clubs encourage students to impact their community in a positive way through code. All students in grades five through 12 are welcome to join, no previous coding experience is necessary! For more information, email Lisa Dion.

Essex Pediatrics will offer a support group related to kids coping skills and parenting strategies on Wednesday, January 22 from 5-6:30 p.m. All interested participants can call (802) 879-6556 for more information.

Email: communications@ewsd.org
Website: www.ewsd.org
Location: 76 Pearl Street, Suite 201, Essex Junction, VT 05452
Phone: 802-878-8168