No one is expecting anything about this school year's start to be easy, except the excitement we all feel for it to begin! Granted, along with the excitement are many other feelings. Some to them, like nervousness, or concern over unknowns, are ones we've had before, except now they may be a bit stronger than other years. Some of the feelings we are having, like confusion, apprehension, frustration, fear, possibly even anger, are ones we've never experienced - or at least not to the levels we are feeling them this year.
It is with those feelings in mind that I welcome you to the 2020-21 school year and declare without reservation that this year is going to be the most memorable of your child's school career! I am going to be teaching in ways I have occasionally thought about but never actually done before and your children are going to learn in ways they may have never imagined! I envision an online experience that will transcend the online realm and dovetail beautifully into our on-site learning, whenever that happens! With online learning comes the concern over screen time, however, not all screen times are the same. I won't go into it here other than to summarize that screen time that is engaging, socially interactive, and intellectually stimulating is beneficial, whereas mindless, passive, socially-isolating screen time is damaging. Our's will be all the former, none of the latter!
The parent newsletter included my introduction so I will not repeat it here. I will however reiterate my excitement to work with all of your kids! To them I say, I know half of you have had a double whammy of changes starting with having Ms. Aimee as your new North Clarkia teacher and then losing that and becoming a South Clarkia 4th Grader! That's a lot and I imagine that makes some of those feelings I was mentioning earlier even worse. I want you all to know that we are going to be okay, we will someday get back together, and one thing (besides the fact you are loved) will never change regardless of being online or in person - work hard and you will succeed!
There will be a lot of information to come, but I really don't want to repeat info that is shared in the parent memo, so, please read the parent memo from Ms. Shelley. I will ask that if you have not filled out the wellness survey, please do so.....it's important. I will be seeing each of you during the Open House Sessions (That is such an album cover!) that you should have signed up for. Stay safe!
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