From an operational standpoint our school year has looked relatively normal. Sure, we closely monitored the number of COVID cases in the district and diligently sent out notifications when we had confirmed exposures. We continued to encourage masking and reminded those eligible to get vaccinated. And like last year, we saw an uptick in cases in the fall and had our worse stretch right after the holidays. As the CDC and county health department changed their guidance, we followed suit. The few restrictions still in place were lifted following spring break. This included parents being allowed to volunteer in classrooms and enjoy lunch with their children. So, it should have come as no surprise that on Wednesday evening the board repealed the emergency resolutions, which were originally enacted on March 23, 2020. This was the official policy that governed district operations for the duration of the pandemic. Granted, from a practical standpoint repealing this proclamation has no real significant value. Yet it sends a powerful symbol to our community that we have come through the pandemic, and as such serves as the final gateway to normalcy. It seems like so long ago! If you are interested in a trip down memory lane, check out the archival page of the website which includes all our communications, procedures, and polices from those very early days.
All throughout this pandemic I have shared numerous views, updates, and reflections of this journey. We have had numerous bumps in the road, and even a few close calls. From time to time, emotions have run high. A sports season or two have been suspended. During our early days, students were quarantined: multiple times. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when our favorite school activity was held, and shared in the disappointment when it was cancelled. But most of all, we persevered. We learned. We got better.
One of the most important things I learned during this stretch is that we have a very supportive community. While we may have had sharp disagreements from time to time over some of the policies we had in place, at the same time I felt there was a genuine understanding from our community that our school board and school staff was doing their best based on the information we had available. Indeed there were outliers, but I will always be grateful no one ever 'stormed the room' during a board meeting. Unfortunately some of these acts became all too common in school board rooms around the state and country.
I also learned that to bet against our faculty and staff would be unwise. Last year, our theme was #PirateRising. This was borne from the idea that, following what we will probably look back on years from now as a catastrophic end to the 2019-2020 school year, we needed to pick up the pieces and rebuild what was lost. We needed to show our community, our students, and all our stakeholders that we could reopen (and keep open) our schools safely and effectively. To show that we could provide an outstanding and effective educational program for all our students. Our hashtag this school year has been #MovingMountains, and they most certainly did. No matter the challenge, they eagerly accepted it and let nothing get in their way. They were presented with a herculean task and removed all obstacles. I continue to be so proud of our employees!
Speaking of pride, we can't forget to mention our students. For all the yearning for a snow day, holiday break, or summer vacation: they want to be here. Yes, the breaks are nice and from time to time provide a much needed respite. But in the final analysis, our kids want to be here with their classmates and teachers. They want to wear Hudson blue at the game on Friday night and perform on their stage in front of a packed house. They want to be in our classrooms learning how to read and playing on the playground with their friends and cousins.
Finally, we learned that there is no substitute for in person learning. While we were able to quickly pivot to a remote environment, it really isn't the best for anyone: not the teachers, students, or parents that had to juggle at home learning with the stress of work in the middle of a pandemic. Because of this, we developed gaps in learning. But the good news? Well we know where those gaps are and have become incredibly effective at using data and interventions to address those deficiencies and are quickly gaining ground!
So last year it was #PirateRising. This year was #MovingMountains. Next year? Well you'll have to wait until August to find out!
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