District Administrator's Corner

by Loren Glasbrenner River Valley School District Administrator “Chasing cows will be our fate, if we are too busy to close the gate.”  This old agrarian phrase reminds us to take the time to finish what we have started. With approximately eight weeks of the school year remaining, we need to remind ourselves to complete the many tasks on our list before summer recess. And with so many new things presented to our school district this year, the list is getting pretty long. We will try our best to finish strong and plan for what comes next.  The absolute unpredictable nature of how the crisis has affected our school community has been quite something. It has been impossible to predict what will happen on a weekly basis. Truthfully, the only predictable element is the unpredictability. We have learned a great deal about how students learn and how to utilize new tools to teach curricula. Educators have tried new resources, developed new skills, and struggled through many obstacles to keep our students engaged and progressing. But, we are still learning, and that is positive.  There have been researchers interested in the positive effects of COVID-19 as it relates to remote learning. They have found that focusing first on emotional needs will lead teachers to making connections with students and families, which in turn will likely lessen the negative effects of school closures. Another positive effect is ensuring access to technology for all students. Vicki Collet, a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Arkansas states, “The study offers insight for schools as they create plans for school closures, whether of short duration, such as weather closures, or longer duration, such as closures due to infections and other crises that may impact face-to-face learning.”  In addition to relevant findings about school closures, the study has broader implications (https://news.uark.edu/articles/55996/research-reveals-positive-impact-of...). We may be dealing with health related closures for years to come, which sounds horrible, but we most certainly are much better prepared. As educators, we have discovered a deep appreciation for the new modes of learning and interaction occurring at home. There is an awareness of the importance of school. Unfortunately, we will have to measure the loss of minutes and probable loss of learning, and we need to ask ourselves what we have gained. We have gained an incredible respect for how involved and supportive our parents/guardians have been for our students. We have gained tremendous support from our community as they have witnessed the changes to our school year. We have gained a trust for technology. We have gained resilient students that can bend and adapt very quickly to new challenges. But, most importantly, we have remembered we all can learn.  The gate cannot be left open...chasing cows down the road and leaving things in shambles won’t help us next year. And, if you have ever chased a cow, they are surprisingly fast for how awkward they are at running! Let’s close the gate. We need to dig deep, finish strong, and get prepared for what may come next. And without a doubt, the River Valley School District will emerge stronger than we were before.