Eatonville School District
Teaching & Learning
Spring is trying to poke its head out! I hope each and every one of you is getting outside and doing something good for yourselves and your families.
In the world of IT we have a new hire, Tyler Bisig. He will be replacing Drew Rice. Please welcome him in the next few weeks. We will also be short handed as Tylor Kinsey will be leaving on family leave so that he can welcome a new addition to his family, a baby girl! Congratulations Tylor!
In other news, we are moving forward with the new sound systems for CCA, and our chromebook order for next year so that we can replace our aging devices. A plan is formualting with Maintenance on the needs of the libraries as we reopen. I have also started the process of book orders for the library spaces so that we can continue to book a book in every kid's hands, not just a computer.
I have been working in the buildings with staff at all levels. I want you to know that we are all in the same boat together. Each building is working through many of the same issues and none of us are alone. I encourage you all to work closely with your grade level teams and colleagues so that you can support one another. Students not to the level they need to be, behaviors that are not acceptable or not at grade level, staff shortages and the lack of substitutes are issues that we all have in common. I want you to know that the Teaching and Learning Department is working towards solutions.
To support some of these issues I have begun to create reopening strategies. I continue to state this but it can not be said enough, closing was hard but reopening is harder. Our students are different yet our structures are the same. For this reason elementary administrators and I created a rough outline to look at device allocation and 1:1 computing in a PK-1 environment. What should this look like and what should the expectation be? I will be setting up a meeting with these grade levels soon so that we all can create a plan that benefits students and parents. This is only the beginning and a small step in a reopening plan. Systems were halted, now we have to create systems in an environment that is different from when we closed.
Each administrator submitted a plan that would work best for your staff in regards to the next UDL training modules. The goal is to alleviate stress while still moving forward with our eyes on education. To support this, I am aligning the UDL framework with the CEL 5D+ framework so we can draw connections to what we are already working on. I have also asked the Studio Teachers to help facilitate the modules with staff. I encourage you all to contact your UDL Studio Teachers if you have any questions or concerns.
With the mask mandate ending at the end of March we are beginning to see an end. I want you all to know that I am focused on Teaching and Learning reopening, what it looks like and how we get people together to make plans for student support and long term student success. All of our students grow together and arrive at the same high school. Our district's shortcomings and successes are shared equally. I can not wait to see how much greater we will become as we forge forward, with a plan, and with a unified vision in Teaching and Learning.
Cheers.
Travis Rush