I composed this tweet today about reopening schools and thought that I should capture it here!

Y’all. Planning for #reopeningschools-getting parents to respond to preference survey, safety protocols, class groupings, furniture, procedures, schedules, managing teacher & parent Qs & anxiety, communication abt every move being made, is hard. Why didn’t y’all tell me??

All this WHILE managing day-to-day tasks, being visible in classrooms, tchr observations, how to get evaluations done, report card review, budget/purchasing, student/family concerns, it’s hiring season, keeping staff positive & appreciated-I must be forgetting something.

Y’all. I’m not naive, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, I’m not looking for that. I just wonder if the powers who be, making these decisions for the little people on the ground, all of those who say teachers aren’t doing any real teaching remotely, realize the lies they spew.

Do they realize the heavy cognitive load, the #heartwork that it takes to reimagine how every detail of school functions DURING a pandemic? We now have just over 2 weeks to do all of this. Trust me. I’m thrilled to meet my students for the 1st time! That doesn’t mean that I’m not feeling the pressure, the weight of every school level decision that is rooted in what’s BEST for our students AND supportive to our teachers. Moral of the story: Check on your principals, APs, Instructional leadership team members, district level admin.

Extend #patience, #grace, & #flexibility. Instead of assuming that something is being hidden, try considering that we are doing the very best we can and just ask your questions with open ears. We’re not here for praise or accolades. We here to make a difference. But know that a sincere #thankyou can take us over the next procedural hurdle to jump, through the next 2+hr Zoom meeting, past the frustrated parent phone call that we don’t have all the answers for. This is NOT a complaint or a rant. Just recognition, reckoning, and reality.

My #principals & district leaders, stay encouraged, stay strong, lead with your heart, have someone’s back, do REAL #teamwork, AND unapologetically FEEL ALL the feelings u have. #pandemicprincipal #firstyearprincipal #principals Phew!