UPDATE Friday, Aug. 21: This post will stay pinned to the GOOD Morning Wilton front page. We’ll continue to update the schedule and calendar as more information becomes available from the school district. [highlight color=”yellow”]All new updates will be highlighted in yellow.[/highlight]
That went fast! August has come and almost gone, and we’re quickly speeding up to Back-to-School. It’s likely you’ve been school supply shopping, setting up sports practices and activities, spotting school buses on the roads as they practice their routes; everything is picking up and and we’re making sure that everyone is ready for that first day back.
Want to know when your kids can meet their teachers? Need to find the perfect after school Continuing Ed class or After-school Activity at Parks & Rec? We’ll have the info right here for you.
GOOD Morning Wilton will keep updating the information below as the start of school draws nearer and as the Wilton school district provides more detailed information.
Back to School Dates
[highlight color=”yellow”]NEW!Aug. 24, Monday[/highlight]
Wilton High School
Counselors will be available the week of August 24th. Please contact your counselor if you have any questions or concerns about schedules. Schedules are now available for viewing on the Powerschool Parent Portal.
Aug. 27, Thursday
[highlight color=”yellow”]NEW! A message on the transportation page of Powerschool Parent Portal now says bus schedule time will not be available until Aug. 27[/highlight]
Students ride the same bus in the morning and afternoon to/from the same stop location. Afternoon drop off times are not scheduled. If students need to ride a bus to a non-residence location in the afternoon, parents should refer to the list posted on the Transportation page on Edline. It is posted under ‘Contents’ as ‘Special Bus Assignments.’
Students are asked to be at their bus stops at least five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled pickup time. Mary Channing, the transportation coordinator, cautions:
“There are many reasons a bus may be delayed throughout the first weeks of school, and especially on the first day. Bus routing may appear to be an exact science, but we cannot predict traffic conditions on a given day or the number of students choosing to ride the bus. We monitor school arrival times for all buses at all schools on a daily basis. Changes in bus routes to correct any continuing schedule problems may be necessary, but you will be notified in advance.
“If you have any questions about a bus assignment or stop location, bus safety, or any issue related to student transportation in Wilton, please contact the transportation coordinator via email. Phone calls are discouraged as they delay the response time for all messages received. We appreciate your patience during the opening weeks of school as we coordinate the transportation of our students in a safe and timely manner.”
Miller-Driscoll Meet the Teacher Day: Children can see their classrooms and meet their classroom teachers. Kindergarten: 9-9:45 a.m.; 1st and 2nd grade: 10-10:45 a.m.
Cider Mill Meet the Teacher Day. Nod/Belden Hill 10-11 a.m.; Cannondale/Kent 12-1 p.m..
Middlebrook Meet the Teacher Day: Parents New to Wilton Coffee 10-11 a.m.; 7th and 8th grades 11 a.m.-noon; 6th grade 1-2 p.m.
Aug. 28, Friday
WHS 9th Grade/New Student Orientation: Three hour-long sessions (start times 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.) for incoming freshmen to meet their guidance counselors, review schedules, tour the building, and visit the clubs and activities fair. High school students new to Wilton attend the session at 11:30 a.m. Students will receive a letter letting them know what time and which session they should attend.
Aug. 31, Monday
All Schools First day of school!
- Cider Mill 7:40 a.m.-2:10 p.m.
- Middlebrook 8:20 a.m.-2:50 p.m.
- Wilton High School 8:20 a.m.-2:50 p.m.
- Miller-Driscoll 9:05 a.m.-3:35 p.m.
September 7, Monday
All Schools Closed—Labor Day
Continuing Education, Enrichment and Extended-Day Childcare
Wilton’s Continuing Education (WCE) program offers both fall enrichment classes as well as extended-day before- and after school childare.
Miller-Driscoll & Cider Mill Extended Day Childcare Programs
Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill each offer on-site Extended Day Childcare Programs, which provide seamless transitions between school and fun for students, and offer options to accommodate various childcare needs of Wilton families. Programs include guided homework time; recreation and exercise time; and skills development in arts and crafts, social skills, health and fitness awareness, and technology.
Dolores Tufariello, WCE coordinator says, “The Extended Day Programs provide our students a place where there is a strong sense of belonging and community. Each after school program employs a high school aide affording wonderful peer models for the younger students. Both programs offer extended after school hours, a perfect solution for parents needing greater flexibility with busy afternoon schedules. Drop-in options are available where students can attend with 24-hour notice.”
The Miller-Driscoll Before and After School Extended Day Programs allow children to arrive at school early (7-9 a.m.) or stay at school late (3:30-6:30 p.m.).
The Cider Mill After School Extended Day Program (2:15-6:30 p.m.) focuses on providing guided homework time, supervised use of school technology lab, study skills, recreation and exercise opportunities. Participating families have an advantage of preferred enrollment in our various Enrichment Programs, including the Cider Mill Conservatory of Music. The After School Extended Day Program provides additional flexibility for families looking to schedule music lessons, add Enrichment classes or after school teacher help by offering on-site childcare before or after their pre-arranged lesson or activity.
Registration in the WCE childcare program(s) will close from Aug. 18 through Sept. 8, and is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit the Wilton Continuing Education website. Contact Doreen Esposito by email or at 203.834.4830 with any questions.
WCE Enrichment Programs
Wilton Continuing Education’s Fall 2015 Enrichment Program offers a wide variety of student programs. Registration is now open via the WCE website for grades Pre-K through 8, and course offerings are available to view online. According to Emily Dowden, the children’s program supervisor, it’s the WCE’s largest catalog to date with 24 classes offered at Miller-Driscoll and 22 classes offered at Cider Mill.
Fall programs run Sept. 15 – Dec. 22. Classes are held for 1- or 1-plus hour, once a week, for 6-8 weeks. Among the programs offered are courses in magic, arts and crafts, engineering, sports, cooking, world language and more. Dowden says there are many new STEM classes: Pied Piper Engineering; Coding: Harnessing Creativity and Imagination; Star Wars: JEDI Engineering with Legos; and Freaky Physics, Forces & Flight at Miller-Driscoll; Global Inventors: 3D Printing; Star Wars: JEDI Engineering; and Freaky Physics, Forces & Flight as well as Lights Camera Inter-Action! at Cider Mill.
New this Fall, WCE is offering two classes through Level Up Village. When students take Pied Piper Engineering at MD or Global Inventors: 3D Printing at CM, the class is donated to a student in another country living at or below $2/day and the students connect many times over the session to share the results of their design challenges with one another.
Students registered for Enrichment programs are eligible to use the After School Extended Day Program on the same day for a reduced “supplemental day” rate of $25. (Non-Contracted in the After School Extended Day Program).
Students registered for the Cider Mill Conservatory of Music are eligible to use the After School Extended Day Program on the same day for a reduced “supplemental day” rate of $25. (Non-Contracted in the After School Extended Day Program).
In addition, there are two summer math enrichment programs running in August (Aug. 10-14 and Aug. 17-21) for students moving into Advanced Math 6, Algebra, Algebra 2 and Geometry.
Wilton Parks & Recreation
Enrichment Education for Students: Mathematics, Writing and Computers Offered by Boundless Education, LLC
MATHEMATICS ENRICHMENT: Boundless Education offers the nationally recognized IMACS Math Enrichment – mind-stretching mathematics for bright and inquisitive students in grades 1‐8. According to their webpage, their model “focuses on developing logical and critical thinking and covers deep and fundamental concepts of mathematics. Classes are game-based and fun. The curriculum is specifically designed for children who like math and do well in their math classes at school. Students are exposed to a great deal of mathematics that is not taught in traditional programs.”
Reservations are required and space is limited. Call Boundless Education at 203.762.7402 for more information and before enrolling all new students. All classes run in 8-week sessions and begin in September. To learn more, visit the Boundless Education webpage on the Wilton Parks & Rec website.