| Our First Steps Into Remote Operations |
Parents & Guardians:
I hope everyone is healthy and finding ways to relax, enjoy family and work through your new normal, as we all are facing an unprecedented time.
As I mentioned in my letter Friday, this is a very busy week for us as we begin a different world of remote learning, living and working. Today, our Child Nutrition team began distributing daily meals to eligible families, while today and tomorrow our Technology Services staff is available for drive-thru pick-up of any student iPads not taken home before the break. Starting tomorrow, our staff will begin professional development to provide teachers with tools to carry out our plans. It has been an amazing collaboration and coordination by so many, and I sincerely appreciate their work.
I resumed weekly virtual staff meetings with my Cabinet today, and it was reassuring to see all areas are ready to go. This afternoon, I was able to hold two live virtual meetings for more than 1,000 employees to explain our procedures moving forward. Instructional staff were provided information on professional development as well as details on the plan for remote learning. The remote learning plan and resources will be shared with families on Tuesday by campus principals.
Today is only the beginning. This week commences the start of our new approach for not only teaching and learning but how we operate our school district moving forward. Please be patient with our teachers, who are now working under unique and stressful circumstances with families of their own. I promise, we will be understanding of your family’s adjustment, too. The changes will be significant for all of us.
You will begin receiving information from various groups this week. Please watch your email and the school district website for frequent updates.
Tuesday: Principals will communicate to families outlining more details on the plan for remote learning
Wednesday: If they have not done so already, teachers will reach out to students and parents. Secondary students will receive direct communication from their teachers through Google classroom.
Thursday: Remote learning will officially begin; details will come from teachers on the time and format for each class.
Please note: our district uses Skylert to communicate to staff and families as well as social media and the district website. Please check your settings to see if you are signed up to receive both District AND Campus communication. You may want to add a mobile number to receive text messages as well. Information is online here: https://www.eanesisd.net/dept/
I leave you with a video that features our students. The creators asked me to share this as an inspiration for our kids who might find comfort in knowing there are others in the same situation as themselves who might be scared, sad, or feeling isolated.
Megan Grant, a freshman at Westlake High School, wrote this song when she was a 7th grader at Hill Country Middle School for a GT passion project to show how music could be used to empathize with children in difficult situations. In January 2020, Megan’s mother offered this song to a friend who is an educator in China as a way to comfort his students when they were first quarantined during the COVID-19 outbreak. Little did they know these very children featured in the video would soon be affected by the pandemic and urged to stay home themselves.
All the children featured in the video are Eanes ISD students and the choir singing the last chorus is none other than the HCMS choir.
I will continue to send updates and information over the coming days and weeks. Please continue to check our website with FAQS: www.eanesisd.net/coronavirus.
Please be safe and stay well,
Dr. Tom Leonard
Superintendent of Schools
tleonard@eanesisd.net