Planning for "I don't know"...

As a district curriclum supervisor, my plate has definitely been full during the recent school closures. 

March was busy working with staff to navigate and learn online platforms for remote learning. determining what parts of the curriculum would be the focus of remote learning, and supporting staff as they began to design and craft their virtual learning sites and lessons. 

April rolled around and things shifted to supporting virtual lessons and platforms, working out the kinks with technology, and making sure staff had the resources and materials required to successfully meet the needs of students...the best they could in a virtual environment. 

Let me pause for a moment to say how amazing teachers, librarians, guidance counselors, therapists, CST, and all school personnel have been making things work. They have liteally built this plane of virtual learning while flying it...no small feat!

Now we're into May and it's time to plan for the 20-21 school year. It's time to plan for curriculum, instruction, assessments and professional development. It's time prepare class lists and order materials and resources that will be needed to deliver the curriculum.  This is something I do every May and June. It's become routine.

The problem is, we have no idea what we are planning for this time. 

We're looking at curriculum, resources, class lists, teacher assignments, and ordering, but the answer to questions posed is always "I don't know". Will students and staff be back in school to full capacity? Will we continue with remote learning? Will there be a hybrid of the two? Is there a chance we could come back for a time and then need to be out for a time and return to remote learning? 

I don't know.

How do we properly prepare for "I don't know"?

How do we ensure that we'll be able to first and foremost support our students through the 20-21 school year? 

We're all working hard to plan, but the truth is that we just don't know what the coming weeks, months and year will bring for our schools. 

This is something that can keep you up at night. I worry about our students, staff and families. Education is all about the kids. How can we best do our job as educators in a current world of "I don't know"? 

Hopefully time will tell us sooner than later.

In the meantime, I'll keep learning, working, planning and supporting for "I don't know". ..while reminding myself that everything is going to be alright...eventually.