I am typing from my office, three weeks prior to the re-opening of the school ot staff and students. It's not the same old back-to-school excitement that I have felt every year since I started teaching in 2003... There is no air conditioning, making mask wearing more uncomfortable than usual. My table is covered in signage and bright orange tape in preparation for the the implementation of the various safety protocols. My printer is whirring from the sound of endless pages of instructions and documentation from the Ministry of Education, York Region Public Health and the system in which I work. While I love paperless practices, these are the sort of documents that need to be highlighted with margin notes so that not a single detail goes unnoticed. I'll be honest... for the first time, I'm super nervous. It's not the same the accompanies the first day on the job as an Administrator. It's stemming from the fact that I'm alone. There is no other Administrator looking at the same documents with the same perspective as me. It's stemming from the fact that I'm responsible for making sure that all protocol are followed and that my team falls in line with enforcing those protocol in the classrooms and in the hallways when I can't physically be there. I know my staff will support the plans, that's not my worry. The magnitude of this responsibility is just very different because it's kind of life and death, isn't it... Safety has always been the priority but our obstacle has never been a deadly virus that will likely wipe out 3-4% of the global population. I need to know that everything that can be done will be done to keep my students and staff safe. Mistakes will be made and the thought of that hurts my stomach. As the leader of this community, I know I'm going to have dig extra deep to make sure that my response is always supportive and calm when holding others accountable. Maintaining a school culture of safety and calm in the face of a lot of unknowns has been added to the growing list of challenges in re-opening schools this year. More than ever, I have been dialoguing with colleagues and trying not to read the hyper-anxious, extremely angry Tweets or Facebook posts from teachers and parents. I feel all those things to an extent and yet, I am faced with the task of implementing evolving plans. As a planner, this doesn't sit very well with me but there has never been a time like the present to be more adaptable, to be more solutions-focused and hone in those de-escalation skills like the present. I mean, what choice is there?
We're all in the dark. There is no frame of reference. There's no previous experience - at least not from this century - from which we can draw on collective knowledge and wisdom. I think that once we all take a long look at why we became leaders in education in the first place, we can have confidence in knowing that while we may not have experience in leading during a pandemic, we know how to reassure and take control of the processes in our schools to ensure safety, holding those accountable who refuse to comply. We know how to be supportive of students and staff. We know how to foster a school climate that is rooted in kindness and compassion. We know how to be organized and proactive so that we effectively communicate with our staff and parents. For example, at the end of last week, I sent home a chart to parents that outlines the return to school plan in its simplest and most pertinent terms. This morning I took to our school's social media with a video featuring me in a mask, talking about the return to school, how much we have genuinely missed them, and the "new normal" that we'll be facing together. I also decided that everyday, I will be posting #whattoexpect tweets that will feature an image with some instructions so that students can concretely know what will be happening in school should they choose to return. I think the key is not such much down-playing the anxiety as it to be a role model in learning how to deal with it productively. The adults in the building have to take that responsibility on, starting with the Principal. Me.
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