Fall of 2020 is certainly not what students, parents and teachers expected.

Our hope is that we can all use this change as an opportunity to grow.

While we shift our lifestyles and relearn routines, we do not do it alone.

We are all undergoing change together.

School will look and feel different as we adapt to new approaches and practices.

Visiting family, going shopping, playing sports,

leaving home all look and feel different right now.

It may be helpful to look at what has stayed the same in the midst of it all: our families that love us, our books and toys, our favorite farm fresh goodies, our friends, etc.

Our beautiful yards, orchards, lakes and trails are still here and can serve as a calm when we grow weary and need a change of focus.

Also, staying proactive can allow us to have some control and enjoyment from big changes. You can make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen to you.

Here is a excerpt from the Opening School Plan slideshow by

Superintendent Stephanie Long:

● COVID presents innumerable obstacles and challenges. We must focus on anticipating change vs. reacting to it.

● Creating positive disruption to be innovative in the face of the opportunity to change.

● Using the disruption of what’s normal to face the unknown and implement a new and better version of school.

It will help you to be more patient with each other and the school work.

Our staff knows that beyond academics, content and concepts we have a responsibility to support students and help them practice and hone intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. - Definition from Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

This will be a particular challenge with limited in person opportunities, but we will persist. While our approach to this may change, our commitment to it will remain unwavering.

We all have an important role right now - to take care of each other. While we tend to do this naturally anyway, it is even more vital right now with so many extra and unusual challenges due to COVID. These challenges are, thankfully, temporary. But we can come out the other side of this with new perspectives, priorities and abilities. Here we go - we are in this together! Please be sure to reach out with feedback, questions, ideas, concerns and celebrations!