Winston Churchill said, “the pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity, but the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” I believe we’re being challenged to see the opportunities in our difficulties as USD 407 prepares for the great difficulty of the 2020 Fall Semester.
One thing is certain; we are hosting school with students and staff on campus. We will also offer students and families the option to find their education through us in a remote learning environment that is based online. Both of these classrooms will have great success and great risk. We trust the staff, board, leaders, and families to determine the best risks for them as we continue to find the opportunity in every difficulty.
USD 407 will release the designs for Fall 2020 to all staff the week of July 20. Staff will engage in the process to hone in on the specifics for each building to best meet the needs of students in either type of learning environment. The rigor, relevance, and relationships of our work in education are always the top priorities for our daily interactions with students and families. We are committed to creating opportunities for all students to dive into their curiosities, their passions, and their dreams, no matter the method of delivery. But, we need your help in the community.
Families will need to collaborate with us to create a learning plan in which students can do homework, study, research, write, and engage at home. We will also need families to document those study and practice times as part of every student’s individualized plan of study for the 2020-2021 school year. These homework and practice time documents are vital to our ability to report to the state that students are engaging in all aspects of this flexible and changing school environment. Without that collaboration USD 407 can’t reach our potential for success with students. YOU are a big part of the team!
We choose to be the optimist that sees and makes opportunities in this difficulty of COVID. It’s been a long haul thus far, but we’re halfway through the race, we might as well finish and finish strong. USD 407 will honor the leadership of our state and create our best opportunities for Russell USD 407 students. Afterall, it’s a GREAT day to be a Bronco!