The 20-21 school year is fast approaching, and this has been a summer like no other! Let’s quickly recap the last several months…just in case you been living under a rock:
· The COVID-19 pandemic hit in February.
· Our schools shut down in March.
· Teachers worked like crazy to support distance learning in the midst of a global pandemic.
· Districts worked like crazy to support teachers and provide services in our communities.
· Summer break officially starts in May.
· Districts didn’t even take time to breathe before starting to plan education services for this coming August.
· Just recently, districts started rolling out learning plans/options for the 20-21 school year.
· With summer travels and business resuming…our communities are starting to see major spikes in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
I’m sure that’s not all, but that should about put us on the same page here. This blog is not intended to be a political statement, or spark any kind of COVID-19 debate. I’m simply stating what we as educators have been dealing with, and are going to have to continue to deal with as we move into the new school year. If your district is like ours, students will have the option to attend school in person or participate in online learning. As an administrator, my mind is constantly spinning and thinking about how this will work...and what it will look like. I know that my teachers are thinking the same things. With school starting in a little over 30 days, I think it is important for everyone to take time to focus on their own individual mindset. Yes, this year is going to be challenging! Yes, we are going to have to work harder! Yes, we are going to have to make sacrifices! No, we are not getting a raise…not in TN anyway. The way I see it, we have two options as we start to prepare for this crazy year:
Option 1: Be positive! Do whatever has to be done to ensure our students receive the best education that we can give them. Understand that this year will have challenges, and will not be like years past. Roll with it, and understand that we are all in this together!
Option 2: Be negative, whine, complain, be miserable, make everyone around you miserable, and the kids will suffer.
For God’s sake…please choose option one! The most important decision we can make as educators as we start this coming year is to choose the RIGHT mindset! Be positive, flexible, and excited to face whatever challenges may come our way. Remember…as we begin to journey into uncharted territory, the mindset we choose will have a direct impact on our students and communities.
Until next time...Wilds Out!