Superintendent's Communications

September 3, 2020

Dear Woodbridge/Beecher Road School Staff and Families,

It is with great pleasure that I join the Woodbridge School District while the BOE conducts a search for a permanent Superintendent. It is a time of great challenges as we move forward with reopening Beecher Road School to both in-person and remote learning while facing the challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic. The pandemic has impacted everyone in many different ways.

The landscape of education will be different as we begin the 2020/21 school year. Not only will we be required to wear masks, social distance, and implement enhanced cleaning measures but how we educate will be new for many of our staff, students and families. As we begin the year, 75% of our students will participate in in-person learning and 25% will participate in remote learning. I believe the Woodbridge School District will rise to the changes and challenges ahead and meet the needs of our entire learning community because of the solid foundation that has preceded this moment in time.

The school administration and the reopening committee have worked tirelessly all summer developing a plan to reopen BRS safely. No two school districts have developed identical plans as no two districts are alike. While the State has provided health and safety guidance that is consistent from district to district, local control was provided for academic planning due to differences in facilities, staffing, student population, location and other factors. We are aware as we start the school year that we will need to make adjustments and changes along the way.

We look forward to reopening BRS to staff and students. The administration and staff will be placing extra emphasis on social emotional learning during the first six weeks of school through Responsive Classroom. We need to use this time, while the infection rate is low in our community, to build positive connections and a strong community that supports each other. While the in-person and remote learning environment will look different than in the past, the dedication of our teachers and staff will ensure that engaging relationships remain strong. We all need to care for and watch out for each other in the trying times ahead. We will be monitoring all of our students for signs of anxiety, stress and trauma and ask that as parents you reach out to our staff immediately to share concerns.

I encourage us to come together and work hand-in-hand. It is my intention to provide the district with strong caring leadership over the next several months and to keep the strong partnerships and relationships that already exist in Woodbridge moving forward.

With warm regard,

Christine Syriac

Interim Superintendent