As parents of the Hudson Valley anxiously await additional guidance from local school officials regarding the structure of the upcoming school year, residents of the Wappingers Central School District received some good news on Wednesday morning.

While the full details about masking and the official reopening plan have not yet been released, Dr. Dwght Bonk, WCSD Superintendent of Schools, in a letter to the district, reaffirmed

Our schools will be open on September 9 for in-person learning and that we will be operating a normal 5 day school schedule for grades K-12.  The overall goal for the 2021-2022 school year is to maximize in-person teaching and learning, be responsive to student needs, and keep students and staff healthy and safe.

Wappingers Central Schools hope to provide families with a draft of the reopening plan by the middle of next week, reinforcing the fact that it will be an evolving document, requiring adjustments considering the current climate and ever changing guidance from the state, CDC and NY State Education Department.

In addition to the information about the reopening plans, Dr. Bonk also provided information about the free breakfast and lunch plan for ALL WCSD students beginning in September.  Following a successful application for the National School Lunch Program, schools in the district will be offering free breakfast and/or lunch to all students for the upcoming academic year.

There is a criteria for what items qualify as free under the guidelines of the program, as there are certain breakfast and lunch components that must be taken together to make a complete meal.  Ala carte items like chips, ice cream, certain beverages and other grab and go items and snacks are not part of the waiver, or free meal program.

Additional information, for Wappingers Central School District community members specifically, can be accessed here.

We are monitoring the release of information regarding WSCD other local districts regarding the 2021-2022 school year, and will provide updates when they become available.

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