The Steering Committee and Leadership Team at ESD 112 have deliberated and ultimately decided to postpone the Rural Conference, which was originally planned for this coming Spring. We're disappointed to share this news. We appreciate your flexibility as we face COVID-related barriers.
The foremost delay is because COVID still poses a barrier for our planning and budgeting purposes. ESD 112 maintains high standards for protecting those we serve, and Department of Health of course has boundaries around what we can fund during this time. Based on current infection patterns around Washington, we predict a Spring conference would likely be cancelled, causing us to scramble to spend money, cancel contracts, and adjust. We are watching other conferences announce cancellations or going virtual and believe it's best to follow suit. We also recognize a virtual training event would not meet the true need of this conference, which is to build authentic relationships and undergo planning that cannot happen over Zoom as easily.
The Steering Committee vocalized the complexities around having a fiscal agent that primarily is located in an urban area. We recognize many of our members have not had to "shut down" in the same way that ESD 112 has. I want you to know that I hear you, and I appreciate your grace as we navigate this challenging time.
Finally, delivering high quality services is an expectation for our staff. We want to deliver the best conference we can, and realize the conference has grown from our original vision and should take more time to plan.
We're grateful to have such an understanding Steering Committee who took all aspects of the process into consideration before finally deciding to postpone.
