Team,

As we think about the days and weeks ahead and the many unknowns that could be headed our way, here are some things to think with your team through to prepare for the many inevitable obstacles coming our way.

These will be discussion items at upcoming staff meetings:

1) What would a two-day lesson plan look like in your classroom that anybody could cover in a pinch? Be thinking about what your two day lesson plans would look like in the event that we have to "punt" for two days

2) What would it look like if you were quarantined and had to teach from home? How do you plan to connect in with your class from home if students are in person?

3) What would it look like if several students are quarantined at home and the rest of their classmates are in person?

4) Other unknown scenarios that your team identifies

Be prepared to discuss these items with your team(s) and in an upcoming staff meeting to help keep our doors open and keep our students learning in person.

Thanks for an amazing first two, first days!

"I heard you talking about the 'Are You All Right' technique, and I honestly did not believe it would work. I teach at-risk students, and their behavior is some of the worst I've ever seen. I had a student return to school after the Christmas Holidays, and for three straight days, he did absolutely no work in class. For the most part, he kept his head on his desk and slept. I was getting more angry and frustrated by the minute, so I decided to try the "Are you all right" technique, believing, of course, that it would not work. I took him out into the hallway and asked, 'Are you all right?' The student began to cry and said, "No I'm not. I have cancer. It was diagnosed over the holidays, and it's a very aggressive type of cancer. They started my chemotherapy, and it's making me really sleepy. But I really want to be here because I don't know how much time I have left" (Tears streamed from this teacher's face as he shared this story.) The teacher continued, "I asked him, 'Why didn't you tell me?' " And the student answered, 'I didn't know you cared' ". - Breaux and Whitaker, "50 Ways to Improve Student Behavior", 2010

Down the road...

Monday 9/7 - No School - Labor Day

Tuesday 9/8 - MS CC @ Van Buren

Thursday 9/10 - MS CC @ Home; MS Football @ Putnam County