Thank you all for doing the thankless job of recreating education this year! What a wonderful opportunity to learn new tricks and focus on what matters!
Some priorities to consider:
1- Some people, even those that signed up for hybrid in June aren't comfortable going in person now. Inconvenient, but that needs to be addressed. Please give families a chance to change their mind. Give teachers a chance to change their mind. Most won't, but
knowing they have options is important! Rebuild community and trust. Seek authentic feedback & ask regularly. Take your time and do it right. Enough whiplash. Whatever you decide, plan that it'll be the standard for the rest of the school year.
2- TEACHERS: their well-being, sense of security, safety, health, & trust are so very important! LISTEN to them. That being said, there's a job to do, just like
our friends at Smith's. I might ask, "Under what circumstances do you feel safe to return to the classroom?" and believe them. Some staff rearranging may need to be done.
3- STUDENTS: their well-being and sense of security is also important and should be addressed, but they're resilient. For them, prioritize content. It's not a regular year and they're not going to get everything. That's okay. What's really most important?
4- What works well online & are there certain classes that just can't be done online? Does it make sense to give those priority?
Best case hybrid scenario that I can envision could require some tech training & support, but can we "Meets" out a live class? And now that we know more about Covid, do we need to have every Wednesday off to disinfect?
What if Group A went in person M, T, W this week and Th, F next week, then flip with Group B? When you're remote, watch the class online. Teachers wouldn't have to repeat content. Progress could be made. Daily learning could happen. As a teacher, I understand
the challenge in juggling the tech & in person simultaneously, but with a bit of tech support, it could be done.
I do hope for the best for our community.
Kindest,
Amber