There Were Some Bright Spots

Well, it would be safe to assume most of us are pretty happy that 2020 is now behind us, right? With all we have witnessed and experienced, I think we are all ready to turn the page. It's funny though. On January 16, 2020 I mused in my blog post, 'What will be the big stories of our district in 2020?' I then proceeded to suggest how exciting it would be to find out. Uh, not so much. When looking back at my blog archive for 2020, the first two months of the year found me opining on those rather normal and mundane topics that you have come to expect in this column. There was/is a kind of rhythm to it all. First out of the gate: the legislative session. The general assembly begins in January so that gives me plenty of fodder with which to fill the pages of this blog. The year was progressing in a relatively routine fashion throughout January and February. March 3rd was the very first time the coronavirus was mentioned in this weekly missive. From that point on, this blog was all COVID, all the time. Of my 51 posts for 2020, 36 were focused exclusively on the pandemic or were thematically related. But, with all that noise we shouldn't dispute or acknowledge the fact that there were some great things that happened in 2020!

The one 'thing' that happened wasn't so much an event, but rather a feeling. I have always known this community was very supportive of their school district, and never did it become so apparent then when we closed for the year in March, and then the many months that followed. There were parades, lighting up an empty football stadium on Friday nights, Zoom calls, notes, and 'dropping by the house' with a care package. All throughout this most abnormal of years, our community rallied around our school employees: offering them words of encouragement and appreciation. As we stood up a remote educational system on the fly without any real idea how to go about it, the amount of grace given helped us all sleep better at night. At the same time, across this nation I think we all discovered the vital role schools play in our society, fulfilling not just our primary role as educational institutions, but also those things we don't often think about. Feeding our youth comes to mind as one example. Finally, as we undertook the painstaking process of developing policies and procedures for the reopening of our buildings we were afforded great patience by all of you. So the best thing that happened this year? I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to say the first day of school: August 24, 2020! And let's not forget, we were able to remain open all semester long without interruption. 

One of the greatest and most significant events of any school year is graduation day. Oh, what a graduation day we had! It was far different than any commencement we  have ever had, and hopefully will never experience again. For sure, the Class of 2020 had a memorable year. This class missed out on an awful lot. Spring sports, prom, and the thrill of marching into a packed gymnasium to Pomp and Circumstance while parents and grandparents proudly honored them. Their virtual graduation ceremony will live forever on YouTube. In fact, if you haven't had a chance to see it, you can view it right here. In my final words to the Class of 2020 I reminded them that while this is a moment in their lives, it is not and should not be the defining moment. 

This year we also finished up Phase III of the elementary renovation project. While we had hoped to have a grand reopening with a ribbon cutting and open house, the pandemic had other plans. We didn't get to have that opening, but we did finish the project on time and within budget. One can't discount the fact this was the first major construction project undertaken by the school district since the construction of the high school over 20 years ago. With a project budget of just over $5.1 million, we were able to update all our instructional spaces and HVAC systems (which proved to be very timely), with the centerpiece being the expanded commons and ADA accessible competition gym from both the north and south entrances. 

Hopefully you are able to find some bright spots in 2020 as you reflect on the year that was and look forward to a 2021 that is filled with hope and optimism!

My Word is Optimism

Hello 2021! Can I say that we have all been very much looking forward to meeting you? Your older brother, 2020 wasn't all that great to us so we have a lot of optimism that you are going to treat us better. I am very hopeful that you will! A  year ago when the calendar flipped to 2020, it was sure an exciting time. Not only were we marking the annual tradition of celebrating a new year, but we were also welcoming a new decade! That, my friends is something that only comes along once every ten years!

We weren't too deep into the new year when this thing called COVID-19 began to rear its ugly head. Admittedly we began to hear about this new virus in late December, and early January it was still on the other side of the world so we didn't pay too much attention. For us here in Iowa, it may as well have been on another planet. The first case in the United States landed on our shores on January 20th in the state of Washington. From there, while still far far away it was only a 'hop, skip, and a jump' from Iowa. By the time spring break arrived, we were in the thick of it, and basically have been ever since. For the last year, our daily lives have been driven by this thing. Everything we do and everywhere we go has to be carefully considered and in some instances choreographed. 

Early on, most of us probably didn't know who Anthony Fauci even was and had no use for the Institute for Health Metrics modeling program from the University of Washington. We were all aghast at this forecast and predictions that we would be dealing with this for a year seemed all but unfathomable. Unfortunately in retrospect, those prophecies appear to be largely coming true. The good news is that we are almost a year into it and the sun is beginning to peak over the horizon. My prediction is that spring break will mark a huge turning point for us, which ironically enough will mark the one year point in this saga. 

If you search this blog archive, you'll note that my one word for last year was 'connect'. I chose that word in an effort to build better connections with those around me. The idea, metaphonically, was when meeting people in the hall to really mean it when asking, 'How are you doing?' So upon reflection the question that needs to be pondered is how well did I do with this? In a lot of ways this was quite a challenge since those exchanges in the hallways were (and continue to be) quite rare. For the most part we have had to rely on making those connections remotely. In spite of the difficulty in making strong personal connections via Zoom, phone call, or any other socially distanced medium, I think I did pretty well in making connections. Truth be told, I really meant it when I asked people how they were doing. And when people asked me how I was doing, I think they really wanted to know as well. The fact of the matter was, even though we all put on a brave face, we weren't really doing all that well. But that was then. I wouldn't say that I'm great right now, but getting better for sure. 

I've heard it said before that as humans, we can pretty much endure anything for a year. As long as we can see an end point, we can make the sacrifices necessary in order to get through our current challenges. All through this pandemic I have been looking forward to that one year mark in my head. While we may not be completely out of the woods by spring break, I believe we are going to be well on our way. So then as we approach the one year point in this journey, the word I choose this year is optimism. All through this past year we have all had to endure enormous challenges. Some have had to bear much heavier crosses than I. Those folks, well watching them show the courage to endure has been inspiring to me to witness. Their strength give me hope and optimism!

Those who are students of history understand that the pandemic of 1918 helped usher in a decade that became known as the Roaring '20s. I believe we will see something similar begin to happen this year. Be ready, because I see quite a celebration on the horizon!