DAVIS HILL COMMUNITY UPDATE
September 21, 2020
Dear Davis Hill Community,
I hope that everyone is enjoying the cool, crisp fall air! Great night for a fire and awesome to have Patriot Sunday Football back.
I want to thank the entire Davis Hill Community for working together to get started this week. Provided the challenges inherent in starting the year remotely, everyone in the community (students, teachers, parents and administrators) have had to work harder than ever. I am awed in many ways by the ability of our staff to adapt to remote learning. The time and energy that putting together lessons, and structuring a day for elementary students in this fashion is not easy at all (Ask a teacher and they'll tell you!). That said, our staff was awesome and they loved seeing their students and being together again. Of course, as a staff we also understand that being a parent in this environment is just as challenging, especially if you are managing multiple school age children and working as well. As I have said many times over the last month to anyone I have talked to, this is really hard, for everyone.
I have been involved in opening schools for over twenty years in the Wachusett District. The last thirteen as an administrator. The beginning of the school year is always a time of transition and challenge. Typically, the issues we face are related to transportation, schedule changes, student interaction concerns (recess/ hands on), separation anxiety and various other items (lunch seating, bathroom usage, etc). All the while classroom teachers and staff are building routines, making changes to schedules, trying things out and seeing what works well and what doesn't with students/ classes.
This year, these challenges have been replaced by microphone issues, connectivity concerns, link confusion (which link?), Seesaw?/ Google? Zoom?, confusion regarding live vs. off screen learning, etc. Collectively, as a staff, we have an enormous amount of experience dealing with the more 'typical' aspects involved in opening the school year. This year, we are all navigating these 'new' challenges together for the first time. Even during a typical year, it takes a solid ten-to-fourteen days for routines to build and for the school day to begin to feel more organized and cohesive. This year it may take even longer than that. We are asking staff to build community, introduce routines, solidify routines, 'be there' for students and integrate new technology skills. All the while, we are asking staff to simultaneously make sure that they are present for students and involved, all the while making sure that they are not having students on-screen for 'too long'. The work of a teacher is challenging when students are in the classroom, and it certainly is more challenging when students are on the other side of a computer screen with all the other variables previously mentioned involved.
Moving forward, I continue to ask that our staff and students be provided the opportunity to adapt and grow. In my 'principal coffee chats' before the year, and alternatively in many phone conversations I have had with families, as well as in my community updates and videos, I have talked openly about the need for us to 'get started' so we can find out what works, what doesn't, solicit feedback and make changes and alterations as we move forward. Keeping in mind that all families experiences are not the same, provided differences in the developmental age and/ or needs of individual children, number of children in the home, child care, adult support available, technology skill and/ or many, many other variables that may impact upon a remote learning situation. These variables will continue to be a part of our experience during remote learning (and as we move into hybrid).
Ultimately, we are in this together. And while we all would prefer the situation be different, as a community, I believe it is vital that we share a fundamental understanding that our teachers (staff), parents and students are doing their best day-to-day to make remote school as successful as possible. I have asked that our teachers continue to seek out ways to communicate with families and solicit feedback to support our ability to adapt and meet student/ family needs. We want to find success now, so that when we do return to 'normal' school, we can feel assured that our students are in a position to move forward with the confidence that the adults around them managed this time period as well as possible. Kindness, grace, communication and a willingness to mutually partner with one another will always lead to improved outcomes, even if not perfect.
I appreciate and love our DHCommunity and feel a deep sense of commitment to what being a 'Dragon' represents. This situation will continue to test our resolve. That said, facing and overcoming challenge is what ultimately builds character and forces as to grow as individuals.
Kindly,
Jay Norton, Principal
#OnceADragonAlwaysADragon
WORK PACKETS
When picking up materials, please make sure to wear a mask and follow social distancing expectations. We also ask that groups to not congregate in the front of the building. Me/ Mr. Berthiaume will do our best to be 'around' during the first few weeks to support this process and answer questions if they come up. Thank you!!
REMOTE/ HYBRID EMAIL FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
TECH STEPS
COMMUNICATION
CELEBRATE SUCCESES
A few years ago, as a part of the 5th Grade Market Day (a 5th grade end of year project), I 'purchased' this rock from a DHDragon who had made it as a part of her business. It caught my attention as I took the words, "Create Your Own Sunshine" as a challenge to myself. With so many things to be grateful for (including health, family and a wonderful job in an amazing community), I found that I could become too fixated on the small number of negative experiences I had to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This was unfortunate, when so many wonderful and exciting things were happening around me if I took the time to look more carefully and not take them for granted. I realized more so that is was my responsibility to practice this way of looking at the world, and I needed to, "Create My Own Sunshine'.
This year, I think we need some sunshine! If any family/ student has a positive item/ picture or story that they would like shared with DHCommunity... I'd like to help.
Cognitively, we all know that the social media/ news is filled with negativity and stories that represent the worst things that happen around us. All the while, many awesome accomplishments/ positive stories and general beautiful things that are happening around us are often ignored. Well... we have the power in our DHCommunity to change that if we so choose.
A couple of ways to share positivity about the DHCommunity (i.e. a shoutout to a teacher, a shoutout to your Dragon/ community member/ DHDragon alumni).
First option for our social media users... Combine the hashtag #OnceADragonAlwaysADragon with #CreateYourOwnSunshine or post to my Facebook wall! Get those stories out there.
Or
Second option for anyone in the community. Send me an email message with a story/ picture that represents the concept of #CreateYourOwnSunshine. I'll keep an electronic file and share when I receive in the update!
It may not work, but I'd like to give it a try and offer to be a conduit to spread the message of celebrating positive moments.
PARENT RESOURCES
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
Davis Hill Elementary School
Email: jay_norton@wrsd.net
Website: http://www.wrsd.net/davishill/
Location: 80 Jamieson Road, Holden, MA 01520, United States
Phone: 508-829-1754
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavisHillDragons/
Twitter: @DHPrincipal