From the Desk of the Superintendent, 4.6.21

From the Desk of the Superintendent...

Recovering the Learning: CPS’s Plan to Rebuild Our Students’ Education
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a nationwide impact on students academically, socially, and
emotionally. Colchester Public Schools is formulating a solid plan for commitment in key
strategic areas to strengthen our response to the pandemic’s profound impact. To this end, the
Federal government has released stimulus funds targeted at assisting school districts in these
efforts. Colchester plans to utilize ESSER III and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds
to support programming aimed at “recovering the learning” lost during the pandemic. Without
these temporary funds, which are beyond normal operational costs, we would not be able to fill
learning gaps, address individual student needs, and ensure our District is well positioned to
rebound from the effects of the pandemic.

Here is how we envision utilizing these funds in support of our Recovering the Learning Plan:
   1. Backfill Lost Learning and Continue Intervention- A critical investment of these funds
        will be to provide short-term programming for students to address lost learning. We are
        formulating our approach for providing necessary academic and emotional supports to
        those students most impacted by the pandemic. The hiring of intervention and support
        staff, as well as the expansion of after-school programming will provide us with the staff
        needed to “catch-up” students who experienced the greatest loss. These positions will
        be temporary (2 years), and the persons who fill them will be dedicated to closing any
        learning gaps that were formed in the past year.
   2. Accelerate the Core - We will also utilize ESSER III and ARPA funding to hire additional
        and critical instructional staff to provide universal access to foundational programs such
        as preschool for all students. Ensuring access to high-quality instruction at ages 3 and 4
        will ensure that students have a smooth transition into kindergarten and that they are
        provided with a solid base from which to learn for years to come. The use of temporary
        staff for intervention is crucial to fulfilling the needs of our students.

We also plan to continue our flexibility in responding to the needs of our students in the ever-
changing environment of this pandemic, while simultaneously striving to reach long-term
planning goals. Some of these initiatives include the purchase of additional educational
materials and implementation of rapidly evolving safety and health technologies and practices
to maintain the healthiest school environments possible. As we enter the next era of our
pandemic response, we will continue to prioritize the academic, social, emotional, and physical
well-being of our school community. I am grateful to teachers, staff, and the entire community
of Colchester for coming together to provide the best possible learning experience for our
students.

Warmest regards,

Jeffrey E. Burt
Superintendent of Schools