WINTER 2020-21
From the Heart Mount Pleasant — The Heart of Westchester County
The Mount Pleasant Central School District Newsletter
Volume 20, Issue 2
Welcome Back!
Mount Pleasant Welcomes All Students Back for In-Person Instruction
create barriers alleviate concerns about staff contracting between desks, the virus as more people returned to the everyone wears buildings. School district employees a mask at all were categorized as a priority group to times and receive the vaccine back in January and elementary many jumped at the opportunity. At the students must time of printing, about 85% of Mount stay with their Pleasant employees who wished to get classroom the vaccine have received at least the c o h o r t first dose. throughout the Another key factor was statistical day, including information that showed the virus was Westlake High School students arrive to goodies from the WHS PTA on their at lunch and not spreading at school, most likely first day back to full, in-person instruction. recess. “We due to all the efforts to keep students have worked very and staff safe. Every single case of After this incredibly challenging and hard with Westchester Department Covid reported has been tracked very tumultuous year, it seems as if there of Health and Westchester Medical carefully. Contact tracing and daily might finally be a little light at the end of Center to make sure that we have health check questionnaires helped a very long tunnel. This month, almost done everything we can do,” notes the administration and nursing staff exactly one year to the day that New Superintendent Dr. Kurtis Kotes. “There analyze data which showed that even York schools closed their doors to inwas a great deal of effort that went into person instruction, all Mount Pleasant Continued on page 2 making sure this would students were welcomed back for full be a success.” in-person learning. The excitement in There were several the hallways and the classrooms was factors that helped palpable. Children were almost giddy schools decide that it as they greeted friends they hadn’t been was time to take action in class with in what felt like forever and and put a plan in place teachers seemed relieved to finally have to get kids back in the all their students under one roof at the classroom. First and same time. foremost, the availability Of course, school doesn’t look quite of vaccines to any and all Westlake Middle School students wait to enter the building before the same as it did the last time everyone school personnel helped the morning bell rings. was all together. Plastic dividers
Oh What a Year It’s Been! Students reflect on remote learning.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since our world was turned upside down. No one could have possibly imagined what was to come. From canceled classes, to asynchronous learning and finally hybrid school. It’s been a challenging year academically, not to mention socially! But now, it seems that there finally might be an end in sight. With school returning to full time inperson learning, students were asked to share their reflections on the past year. They had quite a lot to say! Turn the page to get some insiders’ perspective on the hybrid school year.
SAVE THE DATE Virtual Westlake STEAM Symposium Thursday, August 12, 2021
Featuring new and exciting workshops! Students entering grades 7 - 10