As we get ready to close the doors on the 2020-2021 school year, the big questions and musings are starting to rumble beneath the surface.
"I can't wait until we can ______________ again."
"Remember when we use to _________________? I cannot wait until we can do that again."
Now is an extraordinary time to assess these ponderings and begin to examine what "needs" to come back in our post-COVID era and what is best for students as we continue to move through these times of "what's next?"
This week I got to work with middle school students, and I asked the question, "What have been some positives of the past year?" Their answers were riveting, powerful, profound, and revealing!
This year’s legislative session ended on time after 105 days. It’s been described as unique, historic, surprising, and consequential. Despite economic concerns about our state revenue last summer and fall, and uncertainty about how the Legislature would run its process to hear and pass bills in a mostly virtual manner, some significant bills passed and the final budgets boosted spending on many different programs.
Over the last year during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we’ve all heard this sentiment over and over: “I can’t wait to get back to normal!” As leaders, likely we’ve uttered that very statement many times in moments of exhaustion. Yet as we think about equity and inclusive practices that move us towards meeting the needs of all children, do we really want to go “back to normal?" If we are honest with ourselves, going back to normal is the last thing we should be trying to do.
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