About a week and a half ago (when our little corner of the Earth was still "normal"), Paige Cole led professional development for our faculty on Smuggling Writing Across Content Areas. I love participating in sessions conducted by the #RockstarTeachers at my school, and this PD did not disappoint! In addition to earning the applause of her colleagues, Paige's session also planted a seed for me to begin blogging once again. So... not quite sure how to start other than jumping in with both feet... here we go... The Journey Begins
Several weeks ago, we began to hear news out of China about a new Coronavirus COVID-19. There was talk of the virus spreading with the potential to reach a pandemic level, and while some people started to panic, others felt like the media was "sensationalizing." At the school, we began to talk regularly about hand washing and hygiene, and our team was discussing the status of upcoming field trips to places like Atlanta, California, and New York. Here at home, we were adopting a "wait and see" approach regarding our plans for Spring Break in San Francisco.
Just days later the virus started to pop up here in the United States. Sports and other gatherings started to cancel upcoming events. Field trips were being postponed. We were able to get a refund on our Spring Break trip and the hotel for our cancelled soccer tournament. Universities moved to online class meetings, and we were discussing what to do with the Spring Sports season. When Disney World closed, March Madness cancelled, and professional sports shut down, it got real pretty fast. It's certainly been a whirlwind!
For the past several days, our teachers have been preparing for extended eLearning via Schoology and WebEx, while school is closed for an uncertain amount of time. I am super proud of the teamwork and collaboration on display by #teamRCE and educators all across the globe. Together, we've got this!
Navigating the Uncertain Road Ahead
The one thing that is certain looking ahead is that the road will twist and turn... sometimes suddenly and perhaps without warning. Plans are changing daily in response to new developments and needs. Our district continues to post daily updates here. We also created a newsletter for our #RCEfamily to communicate important reminders and school specific information. Communication is vital to our success as a school team.
We will definitely encounter bumps and potholes along the way, especially as we push our technology to the limits. In the newsletter above, we shared information about our technology support hotline and a link to our help desk Google Form, along with a troubleshooting tip sheet and WebEx Tutorial. These tools will help students as they encounter technology troubles along the way. In addition to our own Media Specialist providing support in this area, our SDPC AITS has systems in place to support students and teachers with technology. Patience and flexibility will certainly be required as we move forward.
Students will need us, now more than ever before, to provide stability, support, and connection. This is where our teachers and support staff truly shine! All of our teachers have already posted a video message and a link to the RCE Student Check-in Form for their homeroom classes. This form allows us to gather information about student needs, which our team can use to follow-up with families. We will also be working with teachers to find out which students are not "checking in," and it will be essential for our team to make contact with those students as soon as possible. Beyond meeting their educational needs, we want to be sure that every student and family has access to the food and emotional support they need during these uncertain times. Our flexibility and team culture will be put to the test during this journey, but together, we've got this!
We will definitely encounter bumps and potholes along the way, especially as we push our technology to the limits. In the newsletter above, we shared information about our technology support hotline and a link to our help desk Google Form, along with a troubleshooting tip sheet and WebEx Tutorial. These tools will help students as they encounter technology troubles along the way. In addition to our own Media Specialist providing support in this area, our SDPC AITS has systems in place to support students and teachers with technology. Patience and flexibility will certainly be required as we move forward.
Students will need us, now more than ever before, to provide stability, support, and connection. This is where our teachers and support staff truly shine! All of our teachers have already posted a video message and a link to the RCE Student Check-in Form for their homeroom classes. This form allows us to gather information about student needs, which our team can use to follow-up with families. We will also be working with teachers to find out which students are not "checking in," and it will be essential for our team to make contact with those students as soon as possible. Beyond meeting their educational needs, we want to be sure that every student and family has access to the food and emotional support they need during these uncertain times. Our flexibility and team culture will be put to the test during this journey, but together, we've got this!
Looking Ahead...
This week I'm planning to start each day by sharing coffee with any teachers that are willing to pop in to my virtual space to say, "Good Morning!" We will be using WebEx to host live class sessions, so I thought that would be a good tool for touching base. Honestly, I'm looking for something that feels "normal," and welcoming teachers as they enter the building with a warm cup of coffee in my hand and some good background music is my favorite way to start everyday. If this goes well, I am planning to find a way to host a time with students as well.
On a regular school day, I try to get into classrooms as much as possible... this keeps me "in the know" about what our students are learning and how they are doing each day. As the person responsible for all of our social media accounts, getting into classrooms also provides excellent content to share with our #RCEcommunity. So, I'm looking for a way to drop in on on our virtual classrooms without being a disturbance or distraction or causing distress. Ideas are welcomed!
3 Things
Today, I am thankful for my boys who have tried really hard to be good to one another, my dog Pepper who is loving every minute of this social distancing here at home, and my husband who helped make dinner tonight.
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