4/16/2020 Update from Ms. Bacon
My hope is that everyone continues to stay safe and healthy. It has definitely been a very long five weeks. We all miss your children very much. Everyone is doing an outstanding job through this difficult time, and we appreciate all that you are doing.
Before we start our vacation, I just wanted to share some positive things to think about. Throughout my coaching career, I tried to instill in my players the belief that you can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you handle it and what you take away from the outcome. Sometimes you learn more from adversity than you do when things seem to be going in a consistent, positive direction. Adversity forces you to reexamine and find the silver linings, as small as they may seem.
Mrs. Dunbar shared a post with me from the Children’s Discovery Museum a few weeks ago, and I wanted to share this same post with all of you. Some of you may have already seen it, but each time that I read it something new pops out. It definitely speaks to reexamining adversity and looking for the positives that can be found. Here is the post.
“Maine schools have been out for weeks and if they go back May 4 (which is no longer the case), they would be out for over seven weeks. If they cancel the rest of the school year, students would miss 2.5 months of education. Many people are concerned about students falling behind because of this. Yes, they may fall behind when it comes to classroom education…
But what if…What if instead of falling “behind”, this group of kids are ADVANCED because of this? Hear me out.
What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing.
What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet?
What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower?
What if this generation are the ones to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well-run home?
What if they learn to stretch a dollar and to live with less?
What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home?
What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday?
What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, custodians, logistics, and health care workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions taking care of us right now while we are sheltered in place?
What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life?
What if they are AHEAD?”
Thank you again for all that you are doing. Take care, have a restful vacation, and enjoy your time off.
I have attached a newsletter that provides information about what is being offered during vacation and the weeks to follow.
StudentParentPrevacationNewsle
Gwen