The ABCs of COVID-19

Adam hasn’t worked in two months and is waiting to get called back to work.

Betty is a single mom working from home and trying to juggle the zoom meetings and online class work for her two young children.

Chris is a ten year old boy who lives in an abusive home and is doing his best to keep up with online learning using an old tablet and staying out of the way of his angry father.

Dalia is a first year teacher trying to make lesson plans through virtual team meetings and struggling to record videos with spotty internet at home.

Ernesto is an English Language Learner who is struggles to keep up with online classes and doesn’t know how to ask for assistance. He is the only English speaker in his home.

Francis is a veteran teacher who is trying to learn how to conduct Zoom meetings while taking care of her parents who both live with her.

Gary has a special needs child who can no longer go to his care facility or have workers in the home. He is taking care of him full time while working from home.

Helena just had a baby. She is taking care of a newborn and trying to help her three other children navigate their online schooling with one computer in the home.

Isaac has been helping with food delivery at his place of worship. He just tested positive for COVID-19 and knows he is in a high-risk category with his chronic asthma.

Julie struggles with anxiety and depression. Being home for the past two months has caused her mental state to deteriorate rapidly and she doesn’t have family near to assist.

Khalid loves his online class meetings and seeing his friends, but does not have any books at home to read or anyone to help with his distance learning.

Laurie is a principal who does her best to answer texts and emails from staff and parents, but struggles with how best to support them and provide reassurance when she has so many questions herself.

Mohammed is healthy and in his early twenties. He doesn’t understand the fear that has gripped his community and is angry that his livelihood is in jeopardy and just wants things to return to normal now.

There are many more stories than there are letters in the alphabet. Our unique circumstances determine our reactions to what is happening around us. As someone so aptly stated, “We are not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm“. There is no right way to feel or to respond during this time. We simply need to have patience and show grace with one another and remember that EVERYONE has their own story. It’s important that we tell our own, but remember to listen to the stories of others as well.

“Stories constitute the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal.” – Howard Gardner

“Stories are memory aids, instruction manuals, and moral compasses.” – Aleks Krotoski

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou

• Friday, May 15: Building Open for Staff 9:00-11:00. Update Participation Logs
• Tuesday, May 19: Achievement Team Meeting 11:30 AM (K Retention)
• Thursday, May 21: No Staff Meeting / Grade Level Class Grouping Meetings
• Friday, May 22: Building Open for Staff 8:00-12:00. Update Participation Logs
• Week of May 25: No Work/School for Memorial Day.
• Tuesday, June 2: Optional Kindergarten Family Zoom Meetings with Round Up Team