Dear District 30 Family,
We hope that this email finds you all continuing to do well!
We continue to put all of our efforts into preparing for this school year. I am so thankful for our District 30 Family! One of our administrators said it well, “We have heard a lot on the news and reflected on what this year will not be. Let’s continue imagining what it can be?” It will not be typical. It will take time for us to figure out this innovative model of education for all of our students, but we will get through this year and educate our students to the best of our abilities.
Important Information:
- Due to continued work on schedules, our Elementary teachers and Middle School advisory teachers will be shared by the end of the day on Tuesday, August 11, 2020.
- Please read through our Hybrid and eLearning in District 30 Guide that provides information for our in-person and remote learners for the 2020-21 school year. Please note that this resource includes eLearning 2.0 plans if conditions dictate pivoting into full eLearning across District 30.
- As part of our planning efforts, we are planning to test our Emergency Notification System on Saturday, August 29, 2020. As part of this test, you should receive an email, phone call, and text message to the contact numbers and email addresses that you have registered with the district.
Facing Challenges
The challenges we face define us. Adversity builds and reveals our character. We will need kindness, compassion, and grace as we strive to educate our students in these new models. Technology will challenge and fail us as we determine additional equipment may be needed. It will also be a crucial tool that we are fortunate to have at our disposal.
As we approach the beginning of the year, it is also understandable for our family to be anxious. I give our teachers tremendous credit for collaboratively creating our plans with us. Even though they are nervous, our teachers are committed to our students, our community, and each other. We also have gratitude and appreciation for the partnership that we feel from our Board of Education, parents, and students.
Facing challenges is a part of everyone’s life journey. For me, these have included family struggles, accepting new leadership opportunities, and even being a part of three national championship football teams at Augustana College in the 1980s. Enduring lessons for me include using the nervousness we all feel to fuel our preparation and help us perform. Being surrounded by a team that cares for and accepts responsibility for OUR success is also essential.
Preparation
We have spent every moment of this summer preparing for the school year. In speaking with the president of NorthShore Healthcare earlier today, he reflected that while there is no such thing as mitigating all risk, our plans are “highly protective” of our family.
Our preparation has also included the development of educational models for all of our students to continue meaningful learning through this time. Our plans will continue to align with the evolving health standards and advice guiding us through this pandemic.
Perform with Shared Responsibility
As we proceed through this year, coexisting with COVID-19, we all share the responsibility to respect and uphold our mitigation efforts (masks, physical distancing, and staying home when we have symptoms). We must remain flexible as we partner to make this year all that it can be, knowing that plans may change at any time.
Together, we will face challenges in the year ahead of us. We will learn and grow together as we provide education that looks different but exhibits the same care and commitment that defines us. In this unusual time, we will be at our best when we continue to stand together. Our kids will follow our lead, and they will also demonstrate their resiliency. We are all in this together, and we will all get through this together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian K. Wegley
Superintendent
