Dear Learning Forward members and friends,
Our world is in uncertain times with the COVID-19 pandemic. We know you are navigating a new reality, with school systems closed and many questions about what lies ahead. We don’t know the timeframe or what lies ahead, and that is unsettling. The entire Learning Forward Board of Trustees and Learning Forward staff is ready to support every one of you who have been thrown into this unprecedented situation.
Learning Forward’s greatest strength is its community, a community of members, affiliates, and allies. We know that your collective expertise, creativity, determination, and commitment to serving all students and all communities will result in amazing solutions to unforeseen challenges such as those we face today. The notion of collective impact is core to Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning, and it has never been more important than it is now.
We recognize that school and system leaders must address urgent, fundamental issues to make sure their students and communities are safe and fed. We know that often those day-to-day questions will overwhelm systems and educators.
Yet supporting leaders, teachers, and staff remains a top priority as well, so they can address their most pressing needs – needs that are evolving on a daily basis. While improvement efforts as defined in the pre-COVID-19 days may take a back seat for now, a mindset for continuous improvement will be more important than ever. Educators are preparing rigorous lessons still, and many are doing it in unfamiliar digital environments.
To offer you some assistance, we’re creating and identifying a set of resources, starting with a webinar series that launches this week:
Preparing educators for school closings and a new learning environment
March 19, 2020 | 3-4:00 PM Eastern
Learn more and register here.
Save the date for these two future webinars:
Teaching in an online environment
March 26, 2020 | 3-4:00 PM Eastern
Mindfulness and well-being (taking care of yourself!) during unprecedented times
April 2, 2020 | 3-4:00 PM Eastern
Learning Forward will continue to identify and develop resources relevant to supporting educators in new teaching and learning environments.
We send you our warmest wishes for safety and good health for yourselves, your families, and your communities.
Sincerely,
Steve Cardwell, Learning Forward Board President
Denise Glyn Borders, Learning Forward President | CEO
