Superintendent Bahr Newsletter
April 20, 2020
April 20, 2020
Dear Eatonville Staff and Community,
Welcome Back from Spring Break last week!
We have been hearing for weeks, “We are all in this together,” and “Stay the course,” but this COVID-19 response does have us in a bit of a frenzy. Yes, we’re becoming expert hand-washers, mask-wearers, and homeschoolers, and learning what is essential vs. non-essential work; but we are all getting a little stir crazy. Will it ever end?
On a recent walk in my neighborhood I spied a rock that had the letters H-O-P-E on them. The very sight of the word took my breath away. Shortly thereafter I heard birds calling out from the tall tree tops, and I wondered if they, too, were calling out “HOPE” to their bird friends. During the same walk, I observed a horse scratching in the sun and definitely enjoying the weather. Is that what hope is, to welcome each day and to find the good in it: Sunrise to Sunset against the odds?
We are all in this together, as evidenced by the encouraging outreach efforts and responses of hope I see every day in our community. I see families working hard to keep school, work, and life aligned. To be a remote teacher, raise children, and to navigate these uncertain times is truly heroic. I’m so proud of the teachers, staff, and parents navigating their way and making the most of a difficult and incredulous time.
Seeing others in public spaces wearing their homemade masks to keep themselves and others safe, and hearing of creative ways to communicate while practicing social distancing with others is wonderful to witness. Re-inventing ourselves into temporary, “not-so-social” beings can be exhausting and most of us by now simply need a gigantic hug! Our food service workers, our deployment staff, our groundskeepers all working hard to make our community stronger.
In times of worry or strife, HOPE is the one thing that we all should tenaciously cling to – hope for a brighter tomorrow, a better outlook, or an encouraging solution to the issues that currently beset us. We hang on – some literally for dear life - and we anxiously wait it out, with hope in our hearts and minds that this too shall pass.
So, what has this experience, this COVID-19, taught us so far as a school community? Have we become more cognizant as a people how to teach and learn remotely or by distance? We are certainly learning how easily viruses are transmitted (6’ distance, cover mouth, wash hands). Have we learned to get along with less and/or do without? Have we yearned and ached for loved ones, but cannot visit or embrace them? Have we rediscovered the value of simple (and precious) at-home time with family, or catching up on projects long forgotten? Have we come up with plans A, B, and C for our next steps as an organization with no end date clearly marked on the calendar? To all these, I would say a resounding, YES!
Our experiences, both good and ill, through these singular times will be imprinted in our hearts and minds for years to come. We will learn from these experiences, and they will become the lessons from which we draw for strength and hope for another day. For many of our staff and students, these experiences will permanently change the trajectories of our lives.
In the face of these hard times, we can benefit from remembering some simple truths: We can do hard things. We will bounce back. We do have grit. We are able to overcome. There will be changes. Even our smallest efforts are not lost. We have accomplished much good by voluntarily following the closure directions. Our efforts, our will, and our collective hope are stronger and more powerful than this virus that has invaded our lives. As with all hard things, there will be suffering and sacrifice – but we will prevail.
I want desperately to see all of you but my message today will be the same message I continue to give - HOPE! This school plan is temporary, even if it seems to linger – and it may; but whatever hardships or struggles come our way, I know if we move forward with hope it will make us stronger as a people and a school and Eatonville community.
Courage and carry on friends!
It’s almost May!!
Sincerely and with HOPE for you all,
Superintendent Krestin Bahr
MEAL SERVICE
SUPPORTING FAMILIES DURING THE SCHOOL CLOSURE
ESD GRAB & GO MEAL SERVICE
Beginning on Tuesday, March 17, ➡️FREE for ALL⬅️ children 0-18, and special education students up to the age of 21.
Meal Service will be near the front entrance of these schools.
Eatonville Middle School 11:00-12:00
Weyerhaeuser Elementary School 11:30-12:30
Columbia Crest A-STEM Academy 12:00-1:00
Hot Meals on two days during this week's meal service
👉Wednesday, April 22 - 🍕🍟
👉Friday, April 24 - 🍔🍟
Click the link above to view one of the dance party videos
Notice of Public Hearing
Click link: Public Hearing Details
Pierce County Health Department
COVID-19 Outbreak
Have questions?
- We have answers.
- Call (800) 525-0127 and press # to reach Washington State Department of Health's call center. The call center is open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. 7 days a week.
- What to do if you:
Stay up to date.
- Check this page often. We update it regularly.
- Sign up for email notifications.
- Track the investigation.
Worried about COVID-19?
Read more below. Then take a 2-question survey to let us know if this page helped.
Krestin Bahr
Email: k.bahr@eatonville.wednet.edu
Website: www.eatonville.wednet.edu
Location: 200 Lynch Street West, Eatonville, WA, USA
Phone: 360-879-1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatonville.school.district/
Twitter: @EatonvilleSD