Hello friends! Today is Friday, April 3rd. Did you catch that? It is FRIDAY! It might not have been pretty, but we have all made it to the weekend. For many of our families, the days have begun to blend together and it is hard to keep our bearings. It can be especially challenging in times of high stress to hold on to some of the structures that shape our days. So I would like to share some words of encouragement with you on behalf of myself and my fellow Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 board members.
To our students and families- You have made it through three days of continuous learning! No matter what you accomplished in the past three days, please consider it a success. Some of our students have blazed through their learning packets, while others have kept to the daily plan, and still others are just getting started. That is okay. Every family is facing their own challenges right now and needs to feel comfortable doing what is right for them. There are even differences between students within the same family where one child is just rolling right along while another needs some extra support. But you have all made it to the weekend. Please don’t feel pressure to continue “school” through the weekend. Let it be a weekend. Read together, spend some time outside, watch a show together- just do what brings your family peace.
To our teachers and staff- Wow! You have made it through a whirlwind of planning, learning, organizing, teaching, and more (so much is captured with the words “and more”). It has been a long stream of days where your brain has rarely been in the “off” position. You have collaborated and executed plans to meet our students’ physical, educational, and emotional needs. And you have done this during a time when your own homes and families are facing the same upheaval and uncertainty as the rest of the world. You have been the face of positivity and stability for people young and not so young who look to you for support. Please remember that this is your weekend as well. Rest. Spend time with your people doing the things that fill you up.
To everyone- We have completed the first leg of our journey together on this new road. We loaded up our cars and have set out for our destination. For some of us, the first days of this new road felt like the freeway at rush hour as new things like Zoom, Canvas, Office 365, and Continuous Learning have sped by. It might have been overwhelming. As we approach the weekend, let us all look at this as our first rest stop along the road. Pull over, get out of the car, take some deep breaths and stretch your legs. Give yourself and your family some time to unwind before we set out again on Monday. Our road is long, with some twists and turns along the way, but we will make it to our destination. We are all in this together.
With grace-
Karla HagemeisterBoard PresidentManhattan-Ogden USD 383