MIDDLE SCHOOL March 27, 2020
Dear Parents -
I hope this email finds you well.
Nothing has become more evident to me over the past two weeks that we are dealing with a human crisis. Though some of the conversations have remained the same, so many have changed. Instead of focusing on pedagogy and "routine" issues, we are asking if we have heard from our students and families. We have become concerned if we have not spoken to a student in a day or two. There are also many families in our community that are the folks on the front lines dealing with this virus and the stress of wondering if they might be bringing it home. My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to the health care workers in our community and around the world. I really cannot imagine what you are going through. I also worry about each one of you and how your family is handling all that has been thrown your way. I consistently think about the health and wellbeing of our teachers, who like many of you, are a bigger part of their child's education. It should never be lost during this time, that we are all human beings and we are all a part of this human crisis.
There is nothing more that I wish than to be back in the Middle School with all of your children, walking into classrooms and seeing the interactions with their teachers. This week, I spent time visiting the virtual classes taking place. While it isn't the same, teaching and learning were still happening in the way I had expected to see during my time at DCDS. Today, I also had the opportunity to sit through an Independent School Division Head roundtable led by two well-known authors and psychologists, Rob Evans and Michael Thompson. There were over forty people in attendance and three things became very clear. First, all independent schools are dealing with the same issues. Second, not one of them has it figured out. Third, there will be numerous iterations of remote learning that may be tried before you settle on one.
I continue to be so proud of what we have accomplished over the last two weeks and all the work so many have contributed to our cause. The objectives that we set forth in our Middle School Framework for Remote Learning continue to serve us very well.
To keep our students learning at a steady pace. To keep our students connected and engaged. To communicate as much as possible in order to support our students and families. To use flexibility, understanding, and grace with yourselves and your students. To take care of yourself and your families.
And thanks to your feedback from last week and the great work of our teachers, we will be shifting how we accomplish these objectives starting the Tuesday after Spring Break. These first three weeks were spent easing into our "new normal". When we return from Spring Break with a longer-term mindset, the goal will shift as we provide a little more structure and accountability so the remaining weeks we are in remote learning mode will be as productive as the first few.
We have had many conversations this week regarding a new plan and please know there are so many moving parts to take into account. So many educational aspects and human aspects. By taking our time in doing this right, it will only serve our students and community in the best way possible. The specifics of these details will be rolled out at the end of next week prior to our break.
This weekend, again, I have asked my teachers to take a step back from the planning, grading, conversations, and emails. Lastly, I want to reiterate how much I appreciate your partnership in this unprecedented time in our history. I appreciate your kind words, patience, and flexibility. It is truly an honor to be a part of your children's middle school years.
I leave you with a few words that were sent to me from a friend.
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
Mike Jenkins DETROIT COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL |