Dear MCDS Families,

I hope this finds you well after a few days' rest. After a week of being physically isolated from one another and managing through the challenges (and joys) of distance learning and remote working, we have already learned a lot. Through many emails and calls, I've gathered a snapshot of the past week through the eyes of the adults in our community. Here are the essential skills and emotions that have shown up most, and which I believe we will need to continue to cultivate for the unpaved road ahead.

Adaptability

In the past week, parents developed homeschool schedules for their kids, supported them in their learning, troubleshot technology, made lunches and did dishes, and juggled their own professional obligations. They kept an eye on their children, ready to be interrupted at any time, while stealing moments for conference calls with co-workers. In the evenings, parents came up with creative family activities in lieu of spending more time in front of screens. They put children to bed and then stayed up late to work some more. They lived with the stress of an uncertain world swirling outside.

Teachers had to learn new technology skills, step out of their comfort zones, and completely change the way they deliver information and connect with students. Their professionalism and game-face attitudes belied how incredibly hard they worked to keep up with lesson planning, collaborating with team members remotely, organizing units, writing messages to students, and responding to emails. Yet, they continued to model growth mindsets. All of this, for many of our faculty, while also homeschooling their own children.

As a school, we will also continue to adapt how we deliver lessons and create connections for students. We will adjust as we gain more insight through the stream of feedback from families and teachers about balancing the cognitive and emotional loads for students and the adults who support them.

Empathy

Even for the most optimistic members of our community, this experience has been a test of our patience, resilience, and equanimity. It matters more than ever that we care for one another, not only in our thoughts and intentions, but in the way we communicate. I've appreciated that parents and teachers have approached me with empathy, even when I've made mistakes. I'm doing my best, but sometimes feel like I'm running an obstacle course blindfolded. Thank you for reaching out, sharing your concerns, and treating me as a human being and inherently imperfect. I ask that you continue to show empathy for your teachers, and towards one another and your children. We're all in this together, and our best is all we can do.

Brief Reminders

As we head into week two of distance learning, I'm kindly asking that you keep a few things in mind. We will begin a phased rollout of Zoom for synchronous meetings with students, possibly by the end of this week. You will receive more information soon about setting up Zoom for your students. Please also remember that teachers are expected to correspond with families and students during school hours, and will respond to emails within 24 hours. Emails that arrive after 4:00 pm or during the weekends will receive a response within 24 hours of the next school day.

As always, thank you for your partnership, and I'm wishing you a good start to the week.

Warmly,