This is 2020, Signing Off!

Usually over the course of the year I have an opportunity to take a break from my blog. Typically whenever I'm on vacation I won't write anything. This has been a pretty long year and with the exception of a 'one off' here and there I haven't had much in terms of vacation time. It is in that spirit of rest and relaxation I am announcing this will be my final blog post of 2020. Taking this one small thing off my plate for a couple of weeks is going to be refreshing! I don't know about you, but I am about ready for 2020 to be over! 

It has been my great honor to lead this district through what has been a very unique year. In spite of the challenges this year has brought, I am certain that I have grown because of them. When I am in the twilight of my career I am sure to look back and find some blessings from this crazy time in our collective history. I believe you can as well. 

I have no doubt that 2021 will be better, and brighter days are on the horizon. 

If you can do me one favor in the interim, I would greatly appreciate it. Take a moment to thank your child's teacher, coach, principal, cook, secretary, custodian, bus driver, paraprofessional or school board member. They have had to deal with a lot this year, and worked in conditions that aren't always sunshine and daisies. I'm not sure you are aware of this, but that one 'thing' or procedure that you advocated for? You know, the one that [did/did not] happen? The other person involved was just as passionate in their advocacy for the exact opposite.

Our new employees this year deserve a little extra love. I can promise you this: when they decided to become teachers they most certainly didn't expect their first year to look like this. Over the last couple of weeks I have had an opportunity to visit with each of them individually. Frankly I couldn't be prouder of the way they are performing. I hope you are too. 

Don't worry, I'll be back in January with all new and exciting content. Right out of the gate I am looking forward to unveiling my 'One Word' for 2021. I'm also planning a recap of all the good things we had happen in 2020 (there were some), and of course the legislative session begins so there will be a whole series on that. One of the subjects I have planned relatively early is the importance of the IASAP and I have some thoughts on that I am eager to share. I know you can't wait! 

2020 may not have been great, but you know what? It's still great to be a Pirate! So on behalf of all of us here in Pirate Nation, Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Typewriters and Word Processors

Last week I shared that when I went off to college I took a color television with me. The one thing that I didn't take: a personal computer. That's because at that time computers weren't standard issue for college students. Very few of us had them and if we needed a computer we had to reserve time in the computer lab in the college library. Oh and by the way, the only thing a computer was really good for those days was word processing. We weren't hooked up to the internet or anything fancy like that. If we needed to do research, we had to look it up in a card catalog and search for it in the library stacks. Seriously. I guess it was a pretty good thing the computer lab was in the media center. Fun fact: I learned to type on a real typewriter in high school. It was an actual class (required for graduation). 

We've come a long way in the last (*clears throat) thirty years. But as I mentioned last week, the speed of change over the last nine months has seemed, at time supersonic. For certain, the technological changes we have witnessed in these months would have been unimaginable during my college years! That's not to say there haven't been significant hurdles to overcome, or barriers that still exist because there are.

Over the course of the last year our community has been very supportive of the school district as we had to shift our thinking by supporting a complex learning system that included remote learning. Granted, there were a lot of issues to overcome, and in the beginning it didn't work that well. The fact we were standing up a remote system [remotely] added additional complications to our work. Add in the fact this happened with the flip of a switch, without warning or training only added to the challenge. In the final analysis, it didn't work all that well. But you were there and stood by us as we navigated the end of the school year. We continue to be thankful and grateful for your support. 

We now find ourselves closing in on the end of first semester, and God willing I think we are going to be able to make it all the way to Christmas break without needing to change our learning model. But what happens in January? Truthfully we don't know, except to predict the new year will bring with it continued disruption. Granted, I believe we will begin to see an overall improvement and a return to relative normalcy closer to the end of the school year, but we still have a way to go. Is it possible we might have to implement our remote learning plan? Yes, it most certainly is a possibility.

Based on our past experience I understand if there might be a bit of trepidation if this were to come to fruition. Believe me, no one wants to go there! But if I might offer a bit if insight. I do believe we have made a tremendous amount of progress in the development and possible implementation of our remote plan. While difficult to quantify, we are now able to implement learning remotely that is as different as the typewriter I learned to type on--to the word processor I used to finish papers in college. With the benefit of time, we have been able to train our employees, ensure all our learners have devices, created detailed instructional schedules, and craft learning opportunities that are compatible with a remote environment.

Granted, it isn't utopia and never will be. There is no replacement for in person instruction and the research bears that out. We really need to look no further than the performance of online schools to see the evidence. It isn't good. At the same time, there will be ongoing challenges that will be difficult to overcome. The first is the availability of broadband, particularly in our rural areas. While we have mitigated that somewhat with the purchase of hotspots, those are dependent on how good the cellular service is in that particular area. (If you are in need of a hotspot, please contact Mr. Bell.) The other challenge is access to childcare. While our primary function is to provide education, we are also fully aware a secondary purpose is to have a place for children to go during the day while you all are at work. We get it. That is why if we have to move to remote operations, one of the last buildings to close will be our elementary school, particularly the youngest of our learners. 

Sometimes progress happens slowly, almost as if we don't even notice that it is happening. Other times, well progress happens suddenly-almost as if it is thrust upon us. 

Spacely Sprockets

Like many of you, Ann and I had a pretty quiet Thanksgiving with just the two of us. While we missed seeing our family, it was still quite nice and relaxing. We had a traditional meal; without the stress that comes with entertaining guests! You know, worrying the turkey is going to be too dry, or the pie isn't going to turn out just right. Admittedly I don't have that experience because I don't do the cooking. Plus, Ann really shouldn't be stressed anyway since she is an amazing cook! Nevertheless we had a great day, sitting down for our meal around dinnertime. It was fantastic, and I am sure yours was too!

Earlier that afternoon we managed to participate in a Google Meet with our daughter's family and some of our grandchildren. Although we had some very minor technical difficulties on our end, by in large it went off without a hitch. It was during that call I realized my grandchildren did not live in, and would never know what it was like to make a phone call and not have the option of actually seeing the person you were visiting with. I vaguely remember a couple of unique 'technological' advances from my early years that seem almost laughable by comparison. 

For one, I remember my grandparents had a 'party line' phone when I was a youngster. If you don't know what that is, it was sharing a phone line with the neighbors. It would ring a certain way or in a specific pattern if the call was meant for your household. It was also not all that uncommon to go to make a phone call, pick up the receiver to dial and realize the neighbors were on the line talking to someone else! Luckily we were able to have a private line in our own home when I was growing up, which was a pretty big deal if you think about it! The only trouble with this was that we had one phone in our house growing up. It was in the kitchen and offered zero privacy. If I wanted to talk to my friends or the girl that I was dating at that time it was in full earshot of the entire family. I'll bet there are some parents of high school students who would like to see those times again!

When I was still pretty little, probably not even in school yet or just approaching kindergarten, we got our first color television. Oh what an improvement over the old black and white pictures! I can still remember advertisements with the NBC peacock proclaiming the broadcast was 'in living color'. Later on when I went off to college I purchased a color TV (I want to say it had about a 28 inch screen?) for several hundred dollars. If I remember correctly it weighed a ton! Nowadays you can get a 55 inch TV for a couple hundred bucks; less if you time it right and look for the Black Friday deals. 

Anyway, as a wee lad I can also recall watching the Jetsons. A cartoon that followed the life of George Jetson who worked for a dude named Cosmo Spacely at Spacely Sprockets. He lived with his family in a future of flying cars, robotic maids, and yes; even phone calls where you could see the person that you were talking with on what appeared to be some sort of computer screen. Fantastical in those days for sure. But now? Not so much. I wouldn't be too surprised to see flying cars at some point.

These days the speed of change seems, shall we say supersonic? Part of this has been forced on us by the pandemic. I'll talk more about how different some of our approaches are in an upcoming post. But I'll do so with particular attention to how far we have come technologically since March: in just eight months! But how we got to this point is, frankly no less remarkable. 

This fall we refreshed our computer fleet for the third time. I remember the board approaching the concept of a connected learning initiative with some, while I wouldn't say trepidation I would say concern with the idea that whatever we purchased would soon be outdated. Valid point for sure, but at the same time I am not certain we were looking far enough ahead to see the trueness to that point. Or how irrelevant it really was. Particularly when considering the speed of technological advancement juxtaposed with how the market responded by driving the cost of ownership for technology downward. 

The work to where we are today really began in 2012 when we installed our first wireless network in the district. The first fleet of computers was rolled out to students in grades 9-12 in January of 2014. Interestingly enough, the popular videoconferencing platform Zoom was released in 2013. It didn't really take off until, you guessed it: March of 2020! I believe we are now in an era of a rapidly changing educational landscape. For better or worse it has been driven by COVID. Because of the work we have done to lay the groundwork, I believe we are well positioned to thrive in this new environment that has largely been forced upon us. Once this is all in our rearview mirror, I will be excited to see how much we have changed!

We Should Still be Thankful

I suppose one could reasonably argue they don't have a lot to be thankful for considering the year that we have gone through. However, might I suggest that in spite of the challenges that have come with this year we [in fact] have much for which to be thankful! For a start, we can all look forward to tomorrow and the days that come after that. While I have indicated previously that I don't really pay much attention to the news anymore, I have been paying enough attention to know that things are going to get better. We can of course choose to look for the doom and gloom in the evening news (that is easy to do), or deliberately look for the good. And it does seem there has been some good news lately. Vaccines are in their final stages of approval and new therapeutics have been recently made available for treatment. All we have to do is hold on for a few more months!

Very early on I reminded us all to look forward to brighter days, and in fact suggested the Sun Still Shines in Hudson. On that warm late March day, I couldn't have imagined we would still be dealing with this pandemic all these months later. But we are. Yet, considering how far we have come I believe we have a great deal for which to be thankful. We have managed to reopen our schools and so far have been able to keep them open, all while dealing with high rates of absenteeism. Our teachers and all staff are working incredibly hard and we owe them a debt of gratitude and thanksgiving for how they are performing right now. 

So on Thursday we will celebrate Thanksgiving and be grateful for all the blessings in our lives. In my case, it will just be Ann and I this year. Unfortunately it will be our first Thanksgiving without our children or grandchildren. We will miss them this year, and it is likely Christmas will be different as well. But we are still blessed and will look forward to spending time with them all again soon.

On behalf of all of us here at Hudson Schools, have a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving. 

My Crackerjack

A few weeks back I had to renew my driver license. The last time I renewed it, I wasn't exactly sure where my DD 214 was, and frankly didn't care all that much. When renewing this time though, I had the form and took it with me for the appointment. I know, they tell [us] the DD 214 is the most important piece of paperwork that we own! And that we should never lose it! In my defense I didn't lose it, I simply misplaced it. Over the years one box of old records after another just got shoved back into the corner of a closet, it had been there all along. 

For those of you wondering what a DD 214 is, it is the official certificate of discharge from active duty in the military, and most importantly, the status under which you have been discharged. I have the fancy parchment hanging on the wall in my office, but that isn't really worth the paper it is written on since it isn't an official document. The whole reason I needed the official discharge paper was to have the 'Veteran' designation affixed to my renewed driver license. 

In all honesty though, I've always had an uneasy relationship with my designation as a Veteran. While I am incredibly proud of my service, I am fully aware of the fact that my experience is not the same as many others who wore the uniform. You see, I served following Desert Storm and before 9/11, a time most would describe as peaceful and relatively prosperous. My time in the active duty Navy was also limited, so I spent the bulk of my service in the reserves. Although I had one brief set of activation orders in 1997 (or was it 1998?), all that really succeeded in doing was raise the stress level of my then fiancé. So, yes I feel a little sheepish when being placed in the same bucket as my comrades who sacrificed far more than I did. Yet when I received that new driver license with the 'Veteran' designation it did offer--can I say validation that my service was noteworthy?

I have numerous 'sea stories' from my time in the Navy and won't share them here. Partly because many aren't really suitable for this audience, but mostly because you probably wouldn't consider them all that interesting. But, I do want to share one memory from the very beginning of my adventure. 

Once enlisted, I was sent to boot camp in Orlando, Florida. In the middle of summer. The bus I was in rolled through the gates of RTC Orlando late that evening where we glimpsed a water tower emblazoned with the phrase 'Navy World', obviously as a play on the family themed vacation destination Walt Disney World (for the record, boot camp was no Disney experience). Along with all the other strangers on the bus we thought this clever and that everyone we were about to encounter would be happy to see us and we would enjoy our stay. They weren't and we didn't.

What happened when the bus came to a stop was pretty typical of what you have heard from countless others that have been though it, as seen on television shows, movies, etc. A guy jumping on the bus and yelling at everyone to get off. We were shepherded into a processing barracks and divided up into groups, sorted, interrogated and tested. After a very long night we were again sorted into dark rooms, pointed to a bunk and told to sleep. 

Awakened a few hours later (pretty much how you would expect new recruits to be awakened), we were told to 'get on the line' for muster. I was very surprised to realize that I was in a very large barracks with about 80-100 other young men that I had never seen before. Our 'P' ('P' meaning 'pre-training period') week had begun. Basically we were in limbo for about 10 days while awaiting other recruits from around the country so we could form up enough Companies to begin a training division. We went through the haircut, being issued uniforms (and while having to wait for them to be 'tailored' being forced to march through the base wearing ugly t-shirt and shorts, which were worn like a scarlet letter that designated us as 'P's), and learning the basics of marching in formation.

Once the uniforms were finally issued, we arrived at 1-1 Day (first day of training in week one). I'm not sure if that was by design or if it is perhaps just the way I remember it. Our Company Commander commented that now that we looked like sailors, he was going to turn us into sailors. Boot camp wasn't a lot of fun, and I think most people who have gone through it would agree. There were ups and downs, physical conditioning and mental conditioning, and a lot of other weird and unusual things that come with boot camp. 

When it was over and we all had to travel on to our next assignment, we weren't authorized to wear civilian clothes. Mostly this was due to the fact that all of our civilian clothes had long since been mailed home, but also [I'm speculating] the Navy still wanted to project the aura of having complete control over us. Nevertheless, we were all quite proud of the fact that we now had the privilege of wearing the Crackerjack.  (Aptly given the nickname 'Crackerjack' due to the resemblance of the character on the box of snacks, it is more formally known as the U.S. Navy Enlisted Dress Blue Uniform.)

After donning that uniform and settling into my seat on the airplane it suddenly occurred to me that I had changed significantly. It wasn't just my Crackerjack. It was in the way that I carried myself. It was the way that I approached complex issues, and most importantly provided me with the wisdom of maturity. From my earliest days of boot camp to when I finally mustered out at the end of my enlistment, my experience in the military taught me a lot. There is no doubt it served as a catalyst from youth to adulthood. Trust me, I had a lot of growing up to do, and my service in the Navy certainly helped me with that. So this time of year, when people like to tell me 'Thanks for your service.,' I would also like to say thank you to the service. You helped a boy grow up.

Decision Points on Changing Our Learning Model

As the metrics for Black Hawk County and statewide continue to trend in the wrong direction, I wanted to update you on our planning and explain how decisions will be made when and if it comes to making a change in our instructional model. First for the bad news: with the countywide positivity rate now at 20.3%, we have crossed the threshold where we need to start having this conversation. But, there is some good news: while our metrics in the district are on the uptick, we are still well below that redline, with an absentee rate of 4.1% for students who are absent for any COVID related reason, either as a result of a positive case or in quarantine. (Ref: Hudson Decision Matrix)

Furthermore, our internal data strongly suggests the spread of COVID is happening outside the school setting. Based on this analysis, there is no doubt our mitigation measures are effective. It is arguable then, that changing the learning model now could lead to the unintended consequence of accelerating community spread. Why? Because while it is clear what we are doing inside the school is working, it would appear that what we are doing outside of the school is not. I am cautious then, about exacerbating a situation where students may or may not follow recommended social distancing or mask wearing outside the school setting. The point I would really like to emphasize here is that it is of critical importance that face coverings and social distancing not be considered unique to the school setting. 

Nonetheless, since we have crossed that first threshold with our county positivity rate, the responsible  course of action is to begin putting the pieces together in the event a change becomes necessary. It would be appropriate for you, as parents and community members to begin thinking about what this might mean for our child(ren) and to create contingency plans. But let me be crystal clear: at this point we are not planning a change to the learning model. 

However, if our internal data begins to shift and we see evidence of spread in the school setting, or high absenteeism rates among students/staff then we will need to reevaluate the situation and make some adjustments. Here’s how that is likely to unfold.

To begin, a change in instructional model will not be made in a silo. Both the school district and county health department have a critical and collaborative role to play in determining the best response. In prior thinking, we believed a change to the instructional model might come suddenly, without much advance warning. I no longer think that is the case and instead believe we will be able to provide some notice before making the switch.

Once we determine collaboratively with the county health department a change is warranted, a three day window will open for us to make the shift. Here is a flow chart with our current plan when making the switch:

Day One: We would continue to operate onsite, albeit with a 1:40 early dismissal. The aim of this day is to make certain all our students have the devices and instructional material they need for at home learning. Once school dismisses at 1:40, that afternoon our faculty and staff would make final preparations for remote learning.

Day Two: This would be our first day of remote learning. You can expect to receive more details about what this will look like from building administrators. All faculty and staff will continue to report to their normal work station and our food service program will continue to operate much the same as it did over the summer. 

During this day, the district will be required to submit to the Iowa Department of Education a request for waiver to move to continuous required remote learning for a period of two weeks. 

Day Three: Required remote learning will continue, but the Board of Directors will hold an emergency meeting to determine our next steps. Assuming the Iowa Department of Education approves a request to move to continuous required remote learning for a period of two weeks, the Board will have the final word. They can either affirm that decision, return to in person learning, or move to a hybrid model of instruction.

A quick note about hybrid learning. First, it is important to note that those groupings have already been developed using an algorithm that considers multiple variables in a specific, predetermined order. It may be that you or your child won’t like the grouping they have been assigned. We understand that, but again, there are very specific reasons the groups were developed the way they were. Because of that, unless a significant error has occurred we don’t anticipate changing these groupings. Also keep in mind that those groupings will not be released until it is necessary to do so. 

In closing I want to emphasize again that at this time we are not planning to make a change in instructional delivery model. Today’s message is meant to inform you of our current thinking and how we are going about the decision making process. 

Have a great day, and please help us by making sure you follow mitigation protocols outside the school setting. 

Black Hawk County School Leaders Issue Statement on COVID-19 Numbers

The leaders of the eight public and private school districts in Black Hawk County have released the following joint statement:

As many in our community are aware, Black Hawk County has been experiencing rapid increases in its COVID-19 positivity rate and the number of confirmed cases recently. As the leaders of our local schools and districts, we are all working closely with the Black Hawk County Health Department to determine the best path forward for our students, staff and families.

We recognize that Black Hawk County has reached a positivity rate of 20 percent, the point at which school districts may seek approval from the state of Iowa to shift to full online learning for a temporary period. This is an option we will continue to monitor and explore as we move forward. 

It is worth noting that while the county is seeing a high positivity rate, our schools are not experiencing a similar increase at this time. For the most part, our districts' absentee rates—especially those related to COVID-19—are remaining steady. 

We ask our community members, parents, staff and students to be diligent and follow all health and safety protocols inside and outside of school. Our schools all require face coverings when social distancing is not possible during the school day. Please wash your hands frequently and encourage students to do the same.

This is a critical time in our community—one in which we all must do our part to protect the health and wellbeing of others. By working together, we can give ourselves the best chance possible at continuing with in-person teaching and learning without significant disruptions. Please join us in these efforts.

This statement has been released by the following school and district leaders:

• Travis Fleshner, Union Community School District

• Brian L’Heureux, Valley Lutheran School

• Lynette Hackett, St. Patrick Catholic School

• Jane Lindaman, Waterloo Community Schools

• Thomas Novotney, Cedar Valley Catholic Schools

• Andy Pattee, Cedar Falls Community School District

• Justin Stockdale, Dike-New Hartford Community School District

• Anthony Voss, Hudson Community School District

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Sitting in the Chair

Over the course of the last eight or nine months I have spent quite a bit of time visiting with friends and colleagues who occupy the same chair as I. During this time we have struggled with a range of issues we have had little training for that are typically not in the wheelhouse of educators. Often we have been forced to make decisions with incomplete data or competing interests that come with data sets and talking points of their own. It can become quite maddening. Indeed, 2020 has been a challenging year for anyone who finds themselves in a position of leadership, particularly when many look to us for guidance and answers.

Today then, I want to focus my comments not so much on my typical audience but rather to those who find themselves leading in this most unusual of times. Hopefully leaders will be able to use these experiences to strengthen leadership skills when we can look forward to the day the most pressing issue we face is whether or not this is the right time to purchase a new school bus. At the same time, I am certain (if not hopeful) that this time we are living through reinforces many of those attributes that landed us in the chair to begin with.

As stated above, many people look to us for guidance and answers. Normally, we are well equipped to provide those answers because the training we have received has given us the tools we need, the knowledge base of our craft, or the competence to find and research the appropriate response to solve the problem before us. But not so fast. As I have shared many times before, I'm not that kind of doctor. Or as my granddaughter likes to tell her friends, 'My papa's a doctor-but not the real kind'. My point is that we don't need to have all the answers, and we have to be okay with that. I have found it quite refreshing when posed with a question that I can't answer to simply say, 'I don't know. But we're going to figure it out'. Instead of the opposite approach, which is to bluff our way through with a bunch of words. Whenever that would happen, those on the receiving end of that 'answer' are likely nodding right along trying to figure out how to get away as quickly as possible, while thinking 'this dude has no idea what he's talking about'. The fact of the matter is this: I have found that when honestly saying you don't know, it is a sign of strength as opposed to a sign of weakness. I believe those who look to us for answers appreciate honesty and sincerity instead of bluff and bluster.

Along that same vein not only have I found comfort in not trying to pretend that I have all the answers, but to give myself and those around me the permission to make mistakes. As you know the World Series just wrapped up, and with that most American of sports traditions, it got me to thinking about batting averages. The most successful power hitters in the major leagues don't even come close to batting a thousand. Truth be told, a batting average of .300 is considered excellent and .400 is nearly unachievable. In case you are wondering, the best career batting average belongs to Ty Cobb at .3664. When making mistakes, the best thing to do is to take ownership and use the experience as a lesson to try a different approach next time.

Speaking of mistakes, a big one that could be unforgivable would be underestimating the power of teamwork. Think about it for a minute. If you don't have the answers to the questions that have been posed, chances are that someone on your team certainly does. In my role as superintendent, I have often used the analogy of reading instruction. I am no reading teacher! If I am your only option to help your child with a reading problem then we are in big trouble. Thankfully we have some outstanding reading teachers in our school district; along with a whole host of highly skilled professionals that have a depth of knowledge and expertise that is unparalleled to most fields. Truth be told, the great things that happen in this school district don't happen because of the person sitting in the superintendent's chair. One could probably argue they happen in spite of him!

Finally, I want to talk about empathy. A lot of people are hurting right now. They may have lost jobs. Others may fear they are going to lose their job if their child gets quarantined one more time or if schools have to implement remote or hybrid learning plans. Even worse, some are getting sick; seriously sick. Further, some of those families have had loved ones who have gotten sick and had the worst possible outcome. I think it is important when interacting with families that are facing challenging obstacles that we try to view the problem from their perspective. Look for a way to lower the temperature. Chances are they need help. Maybe as leaders we can be solution focused and try to help them find it. 

So to all my friends and colleagues out there who are sitting in the chair: Thanks for picking up the phone when I call. I'll continue to do the same when you call me, and I look forward to seeing you at our next virtual meeting. 

A Final Note Before You Vote

I'd like to start by sharing my immense gratitude for the ways in which our parents and community have rallied around our school district this fall. Given all the unknowns around the pandemic, you nonetheless placed your trust in us to educate and care for your children and partnered with us as we have navigated the countless challenges we have faced since this journey began. 

I think we can also agree that on top of a tougher than usual fall due to COVID, we are experiencing one of the more contentious political races that I can remember. One of the things that makes this democratic-republic great is the freedom to choose what we believe and then become advocates for that change. Healthy discussions around the diverse values that make up our great country are always a good thing!

However, it can become problematic when comments or discussions go beyond the ability of young children to process. Children are like sponges. While they may appear to be busy playing a game, or hanging out in front of a television, often they are listening, intently, to what their parents are discussing. Whenever my grandchildren visit, the television is never tuned to the news or any outlet engages in political opinion. (It's usually tuned to cartoons or something else that isn't all that interesting for me to watch. My football game watching usually goes by the wayside. But I digress...)

My challenge to all of us is to reflect on how we speak about important topics such as politics. Blunt language, sarcasm, personal attacks, and even unproductive venting can have lasting effects on how our children view the world. Consider whether you are advocating from anger or purpose. Anger seeks division. Purpose seeks win-win solutions.

For many people, there will be great joy in the outcome of our presidential election. For others, there may be great disappointment, sadness, and even fear. Know that we will continue to educate your children with great professionalism and do our best to reassure them that they are still our greatest hope for the future. Let's show kids the best of us and model for them how to debate and advocate for the sake of unity. My personal belief is that our children need that now more than ever. 

So, today we are one week from Election Day, or as it has become this most unusual of years one week from the 'last day to vote'. If you voted early, great! Ann and I did, and we were able to verify our votes had been received in the County Auditor's office by visiting the Secretary of State's website. You can do the same right here. If you haven't voted yet, please do so or make plans to do so on Election Day. 

In closing, I am heartened to know that there is still hope for civility in our politics and the recognition that even those who have sharply opposing political views can model their advocacy in a way that can inspire our nation. Consider this PSA that jointly released by the two candidates squaring off in the Utah governor's race:

I’m not sure this has ever been done before...but as our national political dialogue continues to decline, my opponent @PetersonUtah and I decided to try something different. We can disagree without hating each other. Let’s make Utah an example to the nation. #StandUnited #utpol pic.twitter.com/Tkr2sDCYTB

— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) October 20, 2020

Living in Fantasy Land

We have a lot of distractions in our lives that I think sometimes leads us to believe we are something that we are not. Those distractions come in many forms. From the television that we watch, the video games that we play, or the way we self-indulge in whatever social media platform is the latest trend. So what do those distractions cause us to believe? Well perhaps they lead us to illusions of grandeur. A professional athlete. A famous actor or musician. The next social media darling on Tik Tok. Dare I say, professional bull rider? Look, I think it's great to have lofty goals and aspirations. I think all of us at some point in our lives have dreams and fantasies of fame and fortune. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! But at the same time I also think it is important to stay grounded and to have a firm grasp on what it really takes to have a fulfilling and  happy life. 

Mine (illusions of fame and fortune) came late in high school and during my undergraduate years of college. While I went to college to major in music education, in reality becoming a teacher was my backup plan. What I really wanted to do was perform. And not just perform, but become famous. I know, it's laughable right? But at the time I really believed I could do it. The 'plan' was that after graduating from college, I'd move to Nashville. A group of 3 college buddies who had the same aspirations that I did started performing locally, and before we knew it we were starting to get attention. And by attention I mean the right kind of attention....No not record producers or agents...girls! We really enjoyed the attention and the encouragement, which naturally fed our egos. We talked a big game and made plans, but then reality struck. The promise of a steady paycheck was just too good to pass up.

My illusions of grandeur were over. Needless to say I am sometimes left with the musings of  'what if'. Could it possibly have turned out that instead of me sitting here writing this blog, you would be hearing me on the radio? Doubtful. In the intervening decades I have come to realize that my skills as a musician are what I like to describe as 'technical mastery'. In other words, I am no artist.

But at the same time, the true story is almost as unbelievable. If you would have told that 20 year old kid that someday he would have a terminal degree and be a superintendent of a school district, he would have laughed at you. Then he would pick up his guitar and covered a Garth Brooks standard. In that time that has long past me by I have come to realize that I really wouldn't have it any other way. I have a loving family and living a great life. In many ways I have that dream job (albeit without the fame and fortune). 

Deep down I always knew that my backup plan to be a teacher was no back up plan at all. I do think a career in education was always my destiny. To have the kind of impact on young people that my own teachers had on me as a teacher. I have shared many of these stories with your right here over the years so I am certain you understand. The fact remains though, there is one key to success. One way that dreams can become a reality. That key is education. Every step forward in the advancement of my career has been made possible through education. You can achieve your goals in life by studying hard, learning to think critically about the problems you face, maintaining focus, and staying grounded.

Those 3 buddies of mine? Well, they didn't move off to Nashville either. Although one did move to New York City and worked in the entertainment industry for awhile, although not as a performer so you haven't heard him on the radio either. We are scattered around the country, really living the American dream. This due in no small part to the education that we received. I am incredibly grateful for those memories and the times I spent as a youngster dreaming about the possibilities of hitting it big. Oh, the stories I could tell (and the fun that we had)! And sorry; before you ask, those stories aren't we'll suited for this venue! I still have that guitar though, it's in a closet at home, and like my piano it is gathering dust. I suppose at some point I had better start getting my 'chops' back in shape. It pays to have a backup plan. 

Candidates for Office: What's Your Plan?

I'm not sure you were aware of this, but there is an election coming up in a few weeks. If you don't have a plan to vote, I'll ask you to please reconsider. Voting is your right as a citizen, and heck it is your patriotic duty! Did you know that according to the US Census Bureau, in the 2016 general election only 61.4% of eligible voters cast a ballot? Luckily here in Iowa we have multiple options when it comes to voting: we can vote early, vote by mail (absentee), or vote in person on election day. Early voting in Iowa began on October 5th, so you can vote at anytime between now and election day. Ann and I voted by mail this past weekend. And please don't believe all the hype: voting is safe and voting is secure. You can even track the status of your ballot by checking in with the Iowa Secretary of State. 

Anyway, as is always the case during a general election year all the focus and media attention is at the federal level, and in particular the top of the ticket. While no doubt important, it is of equal or even greater importance to make sure to pay attention to down ballot races. When you consider which has a greater impact on your day to day life, I think one could make a pretty strong argument that local and state government plays a much greater (and more significant role) in creating and enacting policy that will impact you on a personnel level. So in addition to voting for president and those who will represent us in Congress, don't forget about those who will be representing us in the statehouse. In our district, we'll be voting for our state representative and state senator. The state representative will serve a term of two years and the state senator will serve a term of four years. Those who serve in these roles will be positioned to inform and create policy that will impact your school district. In Hudson, the Board of Directors has outlined priorities that we believe are important matters of policy for the next legislative session. Please do your own homework to see where the candidates stand on these matters before casting your vote. 

Supplemental State Aid This is perhaps the most significant of policy issues that is addressed annually by our state legislature. It is also supposed to be one of the first matters taken up when the legislative body convenes. Within the first thirty days of the governor's release of her budget recommendation the body is required to act by law. That hasn't happened in over a decade, and the governor's recommendation has been soundly ignored: despite the fact the general assembly and governor's mansion are all controlled by the same political party. Likewise, when viewing the totality of supplemental state aid against economic indicators, one could reasonably argue that supplemental state aid isn't keeping up with increased costs being borne by local school districts. The board supports timely and adequate supplemental state aid.

Increased Funding and Access for Preschool We thought we had a reasonable chance of seeing movement on this legislation last year. That is until COVID upended everything. Currently preschool students are weighted at .5 FTE of a regular student. Frankly that makes sense if schools continue to operate half day programs that only meet for ten hours of instruction per week. However, the value of early intervention and academic gains made by students over the course of their academic trajectory make the case that expanded access to full day preschools would be a great investment. At the same time, the board also supports eliminating the barrier that only allows 4 year old(s) one year of access. Some parents of children with 'late birthdays' are interested in an additional year of preschool as opposed to entering kindergarten. While we can currently allow this: we have to charge tuition. 

Opposition to School Vouchers Programs that divert public money to private school operations not only reduce the amount of funding available to your local public school district, scholarly research suggests they are not any more effective than local public schools. In many instances, they don't perform as well. Furthermore, the proposals that have been discussed in Iowa don't require those private school enterprises to operate with the same level of fiscal transparency as public schools, often don't offer the same programmatic options, and have the ability to pick and choose who to admit. Our school board believes that any choice legislation must remain under the sole authority of the local school board. 

Unfunded Mandates There are a lot of things that schools can do that frankly, are a pretty good idea. Additionally, because we have a captive audience and the operational infrastructure that other agencies don't, public schools often become the default social service agency. Again, these might be very good ideas, and can only be executed by an organization with the logistical mechanisms afforded to a school district. However, all of these great ideas cost money. The school board opposes any new mandates on schools without proper funding for implementation.

I am forwarding blog post via social media channels to our candidates for their review and hopeful response, which will be posted in the comment section of this blog. But no matter what, please remember to vote!

Always Find the Good

If we have learned anything over the last several months, I think that it might be that kindness, compassion, and empathy are among the most valued character traits we can embody. If we can teach these to our children, the world would probably be a better place. Agree? Think about it. There is quite a lot to take in right now, and it can be very stressful! I won't tick off the multitude of things that I'm sure are on your mind because it might just stress you out a little bit more. But I'll let you in on a little coping mechanism that I have come up with: I don't watch the news anymore. Anyway, I digress. Let me begin to get to the point. I want to see if I can shift the conversation to a more positive outlook. It's all about our theme this year: #PirateRising

That's why I am so thrilled and proud when our students demonstrate those aforementioned character traits without any nudging, or even within eyesight of an adult. I'm sure you have heard the saying that character is the way you act when no one else is looking. Truth be told, most of the time students really don't need us standing around reminding them how to be decent human beings, they have already figured it out. Perhaps though, we can learn something from them? I mean, if they are looking to some adults as examples we would be in pretty big trouble wouldn't we?

For certain I am no angel and sometimes have to remind myself that it doesn't cost a thing to be kind to people, to encourage them and offer a helping hand. Or even just to smile and acknowledge their existence. The fact of the matter is, it can pay huge dividends. And of course the inverse is also true. Our actions can result in us being described as a 'big jerk' and someone to be avoided at all costs. 

This year I have adopted the theme #PirateRising as our unofficial slogan for the year. I wrote about this earlier in the school year to remind our Pirate Nation to 'Fly above your station and RISE UP'. Indeed it is an attempt to regain much of the momentum that we had prior to spring break and to remind everyone what it means to be a Hudson Pirate. All of the academics are important and the reason for our very existence. But there is no doubt we have a role to play in ensuring we turn out decent human beings. While we continually battle quarantine and illness, it is probably a bit too easy to fall prey to the negatively that at least right now seems to be everywhere we turn.

So it is in that spirit that we look to the actions of our students to realize that yes, everything is going to be alright. Last week Mr. Wurzer let me know that he had a parent call him to make sure that both he and our cross country coaches were aware of how nice our athletes were and appreciated their sportsmanship during a recent meet. What a breath of fresh air! Here is how the story went.

One of the opposing athletes from another school had stopped running. They were just going to walk a bit when one of our girls ran by and encouraged her to keep running. But it went beyond those simple words of support. Instead of encouraging her to keep running and continue along, our athlete encouraged her competitor to not only keep running-but finish the race with her, together. 

I'm not sure who our athlete was that provided that inspirational gift to the person who she was trying to beat in a race. Frankly, I think that if I wanted to find out it wouldn't be all that hard. But, I don't need to know. Knowing our students the way that I do, it very well could have been any of them. Hopefully that athlete of ours reads this, and hopefully all our athletes, and students read this. You didn't just inspire a competitor to rise above themselves and finish a race. You inspired all of us to be better. That is what I mean about #PirateRising!

Amateur Hour: Contact Tracing

It has been a very busy, and at times confusing week for us here at Hudson as we have had to deal with our first bout of contact tracing. We all knew this was coming and are very thankful we made it into our sixth week of school! If you have been following our dashboard closely and on a regular basis, you probably have noticed the numbers from one day to another are prone to change. You probably also notice that the majority of the time, the data is back dated. The reason we do this is to track not only the number of cases we have, but to be mindful of the quarantine and isolation period for those impacted. The reason the back dated numbers may change from one day to the next is because we often learn new information, such as gaining better clarity regarding the onset of symptoms. While our dashboard is a useful tool to keep you informed of what is going on in the district, it is also an internal tool that we are using for tracking. 

Technically and officially, our work begins when the health department notifies us of a positive COVID case. In practicality though, we often find out about the positive case well before the health department when the parents call us to let us know. For that we are thankful, so please keep it up! Once the health department becomes involved, they technically are supposed to do the contact tracing. This includes an interview with the patient to find out who they have been in contact with. From a practical standpoint, we have already begun the process of identifying close contacts that need to be quarantined. This saves valuable time and hopefully helps to quickly mitigate the potential spread. 

The operative question for the patient, aside from a description of their symptoms is 'when did your symptoms begin and who were you in contact with the 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms'? Close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of the patient for 15 consecutive minutes. Now for a student this is probably a difficult question to answer because they are around a lot of people: in class, at church, during practice, etc. For a guy like me, as old as I am that is a pretty short list because well, I'm not that popular! So that is where we have to come in and help. 

Over the course of the last several days we have been reviewing seating charts, cross referencing those seating charts with daily attendance, and confirming the types of activities that are occurring in the classroom. We have even reviewed our surveillance system to get an accurate depiction of how much time has lapsed, and used a tape measure to confirm or refute a span of six feet. All of this is done in an effort to remove as much subjectivity from the process that we possibly can. Of course removing all subjectivity from the process is difficult when one of the variables we have to rely on is the human memory from two days prior. It has been a good reminder for all of us that we are not professional 'detectives' or 'contact tracers'. We are amateurs. Amateurs or not, this takes an incredible amount of time. The fact is, for us to complete these investigations is very time consuming and takes us away from other important work in the district. Today for example we have PD and the final planning [for that] still isn't complete, and from the sounds of it we have additional work to do with regard to contact tracing.

At the conclusion of this initial evolution, we had some twenty plus students identified as close contacts that were required to quarantine. Now, just to remind everyone. A quarantine is for fourteen days after the last close contact you had with the positive student. Further, if the quarantined individual goes and has a test completed and it comes back negative, it does not remove the need to quarantine. Let me say that once more: A negative test does not lift the quarantine. For the record, these are not our rules: these are the rules from the health department. 

Now then, we had basically just finished with the contact tracing and informing all those students they had to quarantine when we learned the guidance was changing. While the six feet for fifteen minutes remains the operative variable(s), the change now states that if both parties are properly wearing face coverings, close contact has not been established and thus the requirement for quarantine does not apply. This change resulted in several of our students having their quarantine lifted.

And just to clarify, any type of face covering is acceptable except a face shield or a gaiter. While our requirement at Hudson allows for a face shield or gaiter in lieu of a face covering, this allowance will not supersede a quarantine requirement if identified as a close contact. Likewise, face coverings that are not properly worn (they have to cover both the nose and the mouth) will still result in a quarantine. 

This updated guidance underscores the importance of universal face coverings as the most powerful mitigation strategy we currently have in our arsenal to slow the spread of COVID-19. The fact is, Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC recently testified before Congress that face masks may provide more protection than the coronavirus vaccine.

Fiscal Impact of COVID Remains Unknown

We are still in the infancy of the 2020-2021 school year so it is pure conjecture to estimate the fiscal impact the district will encumber as a result of COVID-19. Yet, suffice to say our costs will likely far exceed those monies that have been distributed as part of the CARES Act. At the onset of the pandemic, Congress acted quickly to infuse funds into the economy [and schools] to combat the virus. Unfortunately a second round of aid languishes, likely until after the election. 

To date, Hudson has received $59,156 in allocations. The ESSER fund was the original, and continues to be the largest sum received to date. This allocation was used for the purchase of mitigation equipment, additional cleaning supplies, PPE, and licensing software for remote conferencing (think Zoom). We also hired an additional custodian to work the day shift with primary responsibilities including restrooms, common spaces and other high traffic (touch areas) during the school day. It is also worth mentioning the hiring of a bus driver to help balance load size on the north end of the district. Needless to say, the sum of these expenses will exceed the allocations from both the ESSER and the STATE funds. That is before taking into account other already known expenses, which includes additional computers for the lower elementary in the event we have to implement our remote learning plan and the curriculum software that we are using with students participating in voluntary offsite learning. 

In recent days, the GEER money has become available to districts and is designed primarily to address technology infrastructure and connectivity in our district. If you remember over the summer when we conducted a technology survey to see if you had internet at home, this is why we were asking those questions. Our plan is to purchase hotspots for families that currently don't have internet available in the home. The algorithm we are using to determine eligibility mirrors our free and reduced lunch percentages. If you would like access to one of these hotspots, please contact us via email with the subject line 'hotspot'. We are purchasing these devices on demand and 'as needed' so it may take a few days to get you the needed access.

Considering that the knowns described above have or will exhaust the allocations that have already been made available to us, we also have to consider the unknowns. The big one that we are going to have a difficult time getting our arms around is substitute costs. Substitute costs consider not only the cost of the substitute or temporary employee's wages, but also the cost of the permanent employee. In the majority of cases the permanent employee is eligible for paid time off. Even if they had exhausted the paid time off allocated by the district as a benefit of employment, the CARES act grants employees an additional 10 days of paid leave. There was no revenue provided as part of the Act to offset this added expense. 

Luckily we have the cash reserves on hand to weather the storm. With the completion of our certified annual report last week, our subsequent report of fiscal health has been published on the district website. What the report finds is that our cash reserve remains full, tax rates are on the decline, and our unspent balance continues to rise. This puts the district in a good position in light of unpredictable funding from the state, and particularly since we will be in a continued position to manage unbudgeted expenditures that have come about as a result of COVID-19.

We Can't Let Our Guard Down

Managing the district response to COVID-19 and attention to our mitigation and safety plan has been an all consuming and number one priority above all else so far this school year. It takes constant reminders and a relentless commitment to procedures and protocols in order to keep everyone safe and healthy; and likewise our buildings open. If we let our guard down it could force us to close which is something that no one wants.

The decisions the district makes are executed with the guidance and at the direction of the health department following the protocols that have been articulated by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The health office here in our district is communicating with Black Hawk County daily about specific scenarios, and county superintendents have a standing meeting every Monday afternoon at 4:00 to discuss specific countywide metrics and to answer questions that we have in local school districts. 

If a student is at school and begins to present with symptoms that are outlined in our plan, they, along with all siblings in the household must be isolated from school and are encouraged to seek an evaluation by a health care provider. Unfortunately, if they [you] don't seek health care we have to treat the symptoms and subsequent absence as if it were a positive case. Even if the symptoms subside the following day. This is why it is so important to seek an evaluation. If a COVID test is completed and comes back negative, the student and siblings can return to school as soon as their symptoms improve and they have been fever free for 24 hours. 

So again, absent an alternative diagnosis with no health evaluation we required to treat it as if it were a positive case. This is what that means. The child who had symptoms has to stay home at least ten days since the symptoms began, they have been fever free for at least 24 hours, and all other symptoms have improved. Anyone else in the household has to stay at home in quarantine for 14 days since their last contact with the symptomatic individual. 

At the same time, we have a few students who have become quite savvy at figuring out the best way to get a one way ticket home: report that they are having two or more low risk symptoms. In this case, not only have they earned themselves a trip home, they very probably have done the same for their brothers or sisters. When this happens, it kicks in the protocols described in the paragraphs above. Of course the inverse is also true: we may very well have students who are masking symptoms (pun intended) with the goal of being able to stay in school. We can't have that either. Both are of course problematic and makes it difficult to manage an ever changing data set and the variables that go along with it. 

As you can probably imagine, this is a very challenging and complex issue to navigate. If you have questions about our protocols, please feel free to reach out. But please remember, we are following the guidance and direction of the health department. All we really want to do is keep our buildings open and keep people from getting sick. 

Two Decades From Now

In my unabridged convocation address to the faculty and staff a few weeks back, I began by discussing epochal moments in American History that I have witnessed during my lifetime. The most significant of which leading up to the current pandemic was September 11, 2001. On Friday we will  mark the 19th anniversary of this tragic event in our shared history. Think of that! The students who will be graduating from high school in May of 2021 weren't even alive. If that doesn't surprise you then how about this: A growing number of our faculty and staff members were in elementary school and have limited memories of that day. 

My memories of that day remain vivid. I can remember the stress and anxiety that permeated our communities that day and the collective sigh of relief we all felt when it was finally reported that all remaining airplanes in the United States had safely landed. And the wall to wall news coverage that went on for days without end or interruption (we didn't even have cable television in our home back then). I can also remember the deep patriotism that overcame the country and how difficult it was to purchase an American flag. There was immense pride in our country when President Bush visited ground zero on September 14th, and then returned again on October 30th to throw out the first pitch of game 3 of the world series. 

We will remember, because we promised to #NeverForget. At the same time we remember this awful day, it is important to note that in the intervening [almost] two decades we pulled together as a nation. We adjusted to a new normal, put one foot in front of another and forged ahead. Two decades from now I suspect we'll be able to look back on this challenging moment and be able to say many of the same things.

New Faculty Excited to Begin

While school started for Hudson on August 24, several of our new faculty got an early start, beginning here at Hudson back on August 12! Please take the opportunity to help these new members of our community feel welcomed when you see them around the district.

We are excited to welcome Sydney Anderson, a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa to our ranks, as a 5th and 6th grade special educator. Licensed as a special education teacher with endorsements as an Instructional Strategist I and II, Mrs. Anderson previously taught at River Hills in Cedar Falls before landing here at Hudson. Originally from Charles City, Mrs. Anderson was married to her husband Nick shortly after graduating from UNI. In her free time, she enjoys a good movie, spending time with friends, shopping, and exploring new places. She is looking forward to the opportunity to teach and learn alongside the students at Hudson Schools!

Nikki Bergmeier is no stranger to Hudson, having previously worked in the high school as a special education para educator. All five of Nikki's children are proud Hudson Pirates, with the oldest two having graduated. After completing her teacher preparation program at Upper Iowa University, Mrs. Bergmeier spent a couple of years teaching at Dike-New Hartford before returning  home to Hudson. Holding endorsements in elementary education, K-8 Reading, middle school math and language arts, and 5-12 special education, you will be able to find Nikki in the high school where she will be teaching in the special education program. She is looking forward to creating long lasting relationships with her students and learning all about them. 

Joining our 6th grade teaching team this year is Abby Happel, who takes over for Mrs. Neff who recently transferred downstairs to 4th grade. Mrs. Happel was prepared at the University of Northern Iowa, earning degree in elementary/middle school education with an endorsement in literacy. After she finished student teaching this past December, Abby spent time substitute teaching at Hudson during the spring semester. Originally from Newton, a lot has changed for Abby as she was recently married over the summer. She loves being outside, drinking coffee and reading. She recognizes the historical significance of starting her career this year and is excited to make the year memorable with her students.

We are very excited to have Parker Majerus join our high school faculty this year as an English and Spanish teacher. Originally hailing from Sycamore, Illinois, this Central College graduate has endorsements in Spanish, English, and even ESL (English as a Second Language). Mr. Majerus wants everyone to know that he loves deep dish pizza and Chicago sports. When not teaching you can find him spending time with friends, fishing, or planning his next travel destination. He is looking forward to joining Hudson's wonderful team and community.

Very familiar with the Cedar Valley, Taylor Ronan grew up in Waterloo and currently lives in Cedar Falls with her husband Cody. They share their home with two labs and a three month old son Levi. An avid reader of historical fiction, she enjoys boating on the Mississippi and walks as a family. Prepared at the University of Northern Iowa, Mrs. Ronan holds certification in early childhood education and special education. She will be joining our staff as a preschool teacher and is looking forward to experiencing a smaller school district. After attending and teaching in Waterloo she is excited about the more close knit feel of a small district with big pride!

If this new fourth grade teacher looks familiar to you, she should. Abby Staebell has returned home to Hudson after finishing her teacher preparation program at Wartburg College. With a literacy endorsement in her arsenal, Miss Staebell is also licensed as an Instructional Strategist I. This 2016 graduate of Hudson High School is happy to be back in her hometown teaching where she grew up. We're happy too, Abby!

Joining the 5th grade teaching team this year is Leah Van Es who previously taught in Waterloo. Earning her degree from the University of Iowa, Mrs. Van Es also holds a reading endorsement. She and her husband Mitch have been married for three years and just recently purchased their first home. As a Hawkeye fan, it should come as no surprise that she likes the color yellow! She enjoys playing cards and board games and also counts reading, playing sports, and spending time with family and friends as her favorite pastimes. 

Pirate Rising

Our opening day with employees begins with a convocation of sorts, where we introduce our new faculty and staff to the collective and kick off the new school year. It is also one of the few times during the year where I have the privilege of addressing the entire faculty and staff as a group. This annual address is an attempt to offer some words of inspiration and encouragement, lay out an agenda for the school year, and provide a theme that I hope becomes the foundation of our year. This year I have chosen the theme 'Pirate Rising'. It takes on a special meaning for us as we restart learning and open our schools back up to students for the first time in five months. Here is an abridged version of those remarks. 

All of us have a different life experience. We are multi-generational. We are married. We are single. We have pre-existing conditions or loved ones at home that do. Our political ideologies differ. But we do share one very important characteristic that binds us together: we are educators. If you work in this school district, no matter your title you are an educator. We all love kids and want to help them grow, look out for them, and care about their safety. We are Pirates!

Indeed the challenges we face are enormous and each new day often feels the same as the one before. But that soon will change as we get this Pirate Ship underway in a few short days. Think of the journey we have been on to get to this day!

When we left in March, the high that day was 49 degrees, the trees had yet to bloom and we were all looking forward to the freshness of spring and nicely mowed green lawns. Now, when school resumes in a few days we will be in the twilight of summer. Think about the time that has gone by: just over five months! It feels like a lifetime ago. Who among us thought our vocation as educators would include practicing our craft in the midst of a global pandemic, the likes of which haven’t been seen in over 100 years. The world that exists today is vastly different than it was on March 12. Some among us have moved on—to retirement, new opportunities; all without an opportunity for us to say goodbye and bring closure. The 2019-2020 school year ended in a haphazard way that included plastic bags full of locker possessions and commencement exercises that included a socially distanced parade and virtual graduation ceremony. 

In the intervening months we have worked hard to prepare for this moment: Creating contingencies; sweating the small stuff; and being thoughtful about details that under more normal circumstances wouldn’t even be considered. And of course: answering one question that inevitably led to ten others.

Part of our charge as a school district is to help society return to normal. The reopening of schools is seen as a critical step to achieving that goal. Over the course of this pandemic, the multi-faceted role schools serve has been on full display. Our communities have seen firsthand how important you are and the impact schools have not only in the fulfillment of our primary mission as educators, but those secondary and tertiary missions as well: Think of the countless social services so many have come to rely on us to provide: food, shelter, healthcare, counseling, and even protection. We’ll shoulder that responsibility proudly and politely remind policymakers of that role when the time is appropriate.

Yet in spite of all the challenges in front of us, I believe we are truly blessed. Think about how lucky we are to be alive right now! We are living through an epochal moment in human history that decades from now you will be able to tell your heirs exactly where you were and what you were doing when all of this transpired. These types of events cause me to think retrospectively at some of those moments and times I have witnessed in my lifetime and consider how it has changed me or even changed society. I believe this is one of those times.

Today the world is turned upside down. We share a common experience and a unified call to action. So then, when you are telling your grandchildren the story of your life, you will be able to tell them that your contributions during this moment were not just noteworthy—but significant.

In many ways this has been a slow moving crisis; yet at the same time I find myself surprised each Sunday evening that another week has slipped by. In the intervening months we have had to find other ways to amuse ourselves since many summer vacations and plans were cancelled. We have had to look forward to the small things that normally fill the space between one moment in time and another. One such event for me was the release of ‘Hamilton’ the movie over the summer. I often tell people that if I hadn’t been a music teacher then I certainly would have become a history teacher! My favorite vacation destinations are historical sites and trouping around revolutionary or civil war battlefields.  

Perhaps that is part of the reason why I consider myself lucky to have borne witness to such incredible (and horrifying) events in our history. Hopefully we can learn lessons from them and teach our youth so they don’t repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. I believe one of the best lines in Hamilton is ‘History has its eyes on you’. It’s not just the event, but how we respond to that event and what we learn from it. 

We need to learn from the past and use those historical lessons, not only to give us hope, that yes things will eventually return to ‘normal’, but to learn from past mistakes. Isn’t there a saying that says, ‘those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it?’ I certainly think we can draw some parallels from Hamilton for those lessons, hope, and even strength. 

Early in Act One of Hamilton, George Washington is introduced to the audience in the song 'Right Hand Man'. One of the most striking lines to me is when Washington is making a case to Hamilton [for help] with the recurring line: outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered and outplanned. The line ‘I’ll write to Congress and tell ‘em we need supplies You rally the guys, master the element of surprise…’ is particularly poignant considering the immense challenges we have had to overcome to get to this point today.

The fact of the matter is that the beginning of our Revolutionary War did not go well. Our soldiers were not well trained, lacked equipment, and faced a far superior army. As it alludes to in this song, we were beaten badly in Manhattan and if it weren’t for a midnight retreat under the cover of darkness the war may have been quickly over. It really wasn’t until the spring of 1778 at Valley Forge when things started to change for the Revolutionaries when Frederick von Steuben assisted General Washington to train and transform the Continental Army into a unified and cohesive army.

Can you see the parallel? When we closed this past spring and shifted to remote learning we too were outgunned outmanned outnumbered and outplanned. All of a sudden, the way we ‘did school’ changed. No training, no supplies, no ‘man on the inside’. We just shifted—without warning.

Don’t get me wrong though, the work you did this spring was remarkable. You rose to the occasion (as Hamilton did) and shifted an entire educational system. I watched in awe the way with which you met the needs of your students. But we can’t kid ourselves: it wasn’t easy or without extreme difficulty and hardship. You didn’t have the training, resources, supplies, or bandwidth. 

The good news is that we are much better prepared now. Perhaps this is our spring of 1778? Nevertheless, as I shared with you all a few weeks ago, we are a long way from normal. The Revolutionary War didn’t effectively end until October 17, 1781 at the Battle of Yorktown.

An In Hamilton, the surrender at Yorktown is merely the Act One finale. 

My dear colleagues, I do believe we are about halfway through Act One. The good news though, is we are much better prepared than we were in March. Yes, I anticipate this school year will be like no other we have ever witnessed. All throughout the musical, and particularly in Act One there is a recurring theme that is more than a literary device. It is a call to action. It is a call to ‘Rise Up’. That is what I ask of you this year. To fly above your station and RISE UP!

Final Thoughts Before we Begin

We are on the eve of a new school year. With a nod to the fact it has been 165 days since we had students in our buildings, we recognize how important this moment truly is for our entire community. While this is the final communication that I will provide prior to the resumption of classes, you can expect to continue hearing from me frequently. However, the mass emails to which you have become accustomed will no longer be a weekly staple of your inbox. You can continue to hear from me weekly going forward, but I will revert to the past practice of posting these messages to my blog and Twitter feed. I would encourage you to please subscribe to my blog by email. You can sign up in the upper right hand corner of my page, and at the same time view the archive of articles, which include almost 450 posts spanning a decade. I guess I've had a lot to say in the intervening years! 

Today's message is to provide some final thoughts, clarifying points, and reminders of our procedures once school starts on Monday. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our entire community for your prayers and words of support over these intervening months. Nothing about our operations right now are easy or unfortunately without criticism. As we begin school, it is important to remember that the resumptions of classes should not be interpreted as a return to business as normal, indeed as I shared with you all a couple of weeks ago, we are a long way from normal. We will ask for your continued grace in the coming months. Here are some things that I think you all should be aware of as we begin the 2020-2021 school year. 

Visitors and Open House One of the biggest disappointments for me right now is that we can't welcome you all into our brand new facility. We have worked hard as a community over the past eighteen months during construction of our Phase III project. You have all been incredibly patient with our dusty hallways and odd ways of entering our P-8 facility and central administration building. I had envisioned a grand opening ceremony with a ribbon cutting and tours of the new space. Unfortunately I am going to have to beg of your continued patience. We will have that grand opening and tours-but it is going to have to wait. Right now, all visitors to all our buildings are limited to critical personnel and students. Those visitors who have a defined purpose will need to have an appointment. You can expect to complete a health screening before entering any of our facilities and face coverings will be required. As you have also heard by now, we have decided to cancel our open house. Parents and guardians of elementary students will have an opportunity to meet their child's teacher via Zoom later this week. You can expect to hear from those teachers very soon. 

Be advised also that at this time we are not renting out any of our facilities to outside groups. This includes our gyms, fields, common spaces, and auditoriums. Access to facilities is limited to school sponsored events only. This policy will be reviewed quarterly. 

Activities and Events For right now, our events are limited to half capacity. Every other row of bleachers will be closed to promote social distancing. Again, face coverings will be required at all events: football or volleyball. Because of the limited capacity, we are encouraging you to cheer us on from home in the comfort of your own living room by subscribing to our You Tube Channel. All our varsity and sub varsity events will be live streamed. We really want to allow parents and siblings of our performers and athletes to have the opportunity to view our events live in person. Additionally, it is important to note that children younger than high school age will need to be accompanied by an adult and must be seated in the bleachers. 

Recent Board Action The Board of Directors met on Monday evening, August 17th in a regular session meeting. At that meeting, they made a couple of critical final decisions as it relates to our Return to Learn Plan. First, we agreed to partner with Edgenuity for online curriculum and content to use with our learners who are participating in the voluntary offsite learning program. This program will run parallel to those students learning onsite and we are excited for the opportunities this will provide our offsite students. While there can be no replacement for face to face instruction, we feel this will be a good substitute in the interim until we can welcome all our students back to the buildings.

The board also acted affirmatively on a recommendation to add an additional school bus route. We are thankful to those parents who filled out our most recent survey indicating their willingness to transport their own children to school. Yet at the same time we recognize that is not an option for everyone. An added  bus route on the northern edge of the district will help us to balance some of our load sizes and promote better social distancing. An added note for our Country Terrace neighborhood: bus assignments this year will be arranged by family unit as opposed to grade level. All students using school transportation will have assigned seats and strict adherence to face covering requirements will be observed. 

Get some rest. School starts Monday!