Hi Families,

Welcome back! We are eager to begin working with you and your child during the 2016-2017 school year.

Our schools are warm, caring places where multiple academic and enrichment initiatives are taking place.  In an effort to keep you informed and to facilitate a deeper understanding of what is taking place in the district, we’ve embarked upon a project to create short informational video segments on a bi-monthly basis. 

We are calling the project Open Mic @ Windsor Locks Public Schools. As implied by the term Open Mic, these video segments are a “show” where multiple voices will be heard: administrators, educators, parents, and the larger community. 

Please be sure to watch our very first episode, which can be viewed at www.OpenMicWLPS.com. Note that there is no registration required.  We will soon be adding ways for you to participate by sending in your thoughts and comments.

OpenMic@WLPS is our commitment to keeping you informed of the wonderful things happening in your child’s school. We look forward to having it evolve into a forum that is a meaningful part of our partnership.  We hope you enjoy it!

Registration for Pre K and Kindergarten is now open!!

PreK:            Two Sessions:  8:30-11:00 and 12:15-2:45

  3 year old Prek Class:  Your child must turn three by Sept 1^st to enter the program. (We will fill the class first with those children who will turn 3 by Sept 1^st .  We will create a  waiting list for those children whose birthdays fall after 9/1/16.)

§  4 year old PreK Classes:- Your child must turn four by Dec 31^st to enter the program.

Kindergarten: Full day:  8:25-3:25

Children must turn five years old by Dec 31^st.

Registration packets will be available at: North Street School, the Windsor Locks Public Library, The Senior Center, New England PreSchool Academy, and Sky’s the Limit.

Packets must be returned by March 15^th.     PreK parents will be notified of acceptance by March 18^th.

Please call 860-292-5027 for more information

Come join us on Thursday, January 21st from 6:30-7:30 to learn how you can start planning for this important next step in your child's education. Several financial planning consultants will be here to answer all questions you may have. Child care will be available. Please contact the school for further information and to let us know if you will need childcare.

NORTH STREET SCHOOL’S  WEE Start PRE-K  EARNS

NATIONAL NAEYC ACCREDITATION

Program among the top in the nation by earning accreditation

Windsor Locks, CT – North Street School located in Windsor Locks has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

 NAEYC Accreditation lets families in the community know that children in this high-quality program have teachers who create engaging classrooms, enhance relationships with their parents and families, and develop rich experiences for their students.

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, North Street School’s WEE Start PreK went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received NAEYC Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.

In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. Nearly 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs.

For parents and caregivers of young children who are searching for a high-quality early learning experience, North Street’s WEE Start’s NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that it offers a high-quality education in a nurturing and stimulating environment.”

The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. In September 2006, the Association revised program standards and criteria to introduce a new level of quality, accountability, and service for parents and children in child care programs. The new standards today reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development. NAEYC is committed to using the newest studies and analysis on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest-quality care and education possible.

The NAEYC Accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers, and other early education programs. To earn NAEYC Accreditation, a program must meet each of the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.

For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit www.naeyc.org/academy.

# # #

Please click on the Heritage Week title above to view the attached schedule of events!

Click Here to See the Exciting Events Going on for Heritage Week - 5/22 - 5/29

School Readiness Grant Opportunity

Last posted by Jeffrey Ferreira

LOCAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Windsor Locks Public Schools and its School Readiness Council have opened up a local RFP to identify new or continuing eligible local early care and education providers, which shall provide school readiness and child day care services to eligible children and their families.

In its review of these applications, the School Readiness Council must ensure that any proposals address all the statutory requirements specifying how the program will meet these requirements and only submit those proposals that are complete and in compliance with such requirements.

The Office of Early Childhood has also established a program, within available appropriations, to provide on a competitive basis supplement quality enhancement grants to providers of child day care services or providers of school readiness programs pursuant to C.G.S. Sections 10-16p and 10-16u to enhance the quality of early childhood education programs. Child day care providers, school readiness programs in priority school districts, and competitive school readiness municipalities may apply for a quality enhancement grant. These applicants must use their local School Readiness Council to review and recommend projects for funding.

The purpose of the Quality Enhancement funding is to assist early care and education programs in addressing quality standards and/or expand comprehensive services for children and families.

If you are interested in applying for funds to increase the number of children you serve in your school readiness program, please contact Jeffrey Ferreira, Principal, North Street School, 325 North Street, Windsor Locks, CT 06096 for additional information regarding allotted funds, application process and CT SDE guidelines for proposals. Deadline for the grant application is May 1, 2015.

NEW ONLINE MEAL PAYMENT IS NOW AVAILABLE

MySchoolsBucks is your online payment portal giving you a quick and easy way to manage and add funds to your student’s meal account. 

Enrollment is easy.  Just go to www.MySchoolBucks.com  to register. 

Once activated, you will be able to add your students. You will need their name, as it is in the system, and their student ID. 

There is also a link available on www.wlps.org under the Parent tab.

At a special meeting on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 of the Windsor Locks Board of Education Meeting, the BOE appointed Mr. Steven Swensen as the next Windsor Locks High School Principal.

Upon the completion of a very exhaustive process, where over 50 people were involved, Superintendent Susie Bell recommended Mr. Swensen to the Board of Education for Appointment.  Mr. Swensen comes to Windsor Locks with extensive school leadership experience, most recently as one of three Housemasters at Shelton High School in Shelton, Connecticut.  In Shelton, Mr. Swensen was involved in many of the same changes Windsor Locks is undergoing to become a competency-based school district.

In addition, Mr. Swensen brings his 10+ years of experience as mathematics teacher to the district, along with numerous years of both Junior Varsity and Varsity coaching in Basketball and Softball.

Superintendent Bell said, “Mr. Swensen is a perfect fit for Windsor Locks High School.  His experience, commitment, understanding of adolescents and young adults, and passion for helping all students achieve at high levels will have a positive impact on both Windsor Locks High School and the entire Windsor Locks Public Schools community.”

PARENTS - don't forget to review the optional Student Accident Insurance Plan.  

(Click on the link below to view the plan brochure.)

This offering is for ACCIDENT (not medical) insurance for your student.  Options include a school-time plan, 24 hour coverage plan and optional dental plan.  

Please be aware that Windsor Locks Public Schools does not provide insurance coverage for accidents that occur during school hours.  However, the Windsor Locks Board of Education does provide insurance for interscholastic sports related injuries. 

Please give a careful review of the coverages, plans, and benefits provided by these plans.

Student Accident Insurance Plans

Welcome to our new webpage!  We will be using this summer to get the site fully up and running.  We appreciate your patience while we finish editing.