March 23, 2020

On the importance of community in uncertain times

Albertans are gradually adapting to a new reality – for themselves and their families.

Last Monday morning, the day after the announcement that classes were cancelled at all K-12 schools, and all licensed child care facilities, out-of-school care and preschool programs were closed indefinitely, many parents were scrambling to make other arrangements at work and for child care.

By Tuesday, they were just starting to adjust when there were further changes: closures of recreation centres, gyms, swimming pools, children’s play centres, libraries and community centres – normally all welcome diversions and places parents might have taken their children for a few hours during the day to fill the time until they can begin online learning instruction.

By the end of the week, the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta had also taken additional measures. As our administration office is in a local public school, we decided to have our staff work from home for now. We will evaluate the situation on a week-by-week basis.

All of the prevention measures taken are absolutely necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the province and protect our health and that of those most vulnerable. That said, our world has changed very quickly. Two short months ago, we didn’t expect “social distancing” to become part of our vocabulary, much less describe the way we currently live.

But there is a silver lining: the opportunity to experiment with doing things differently, or try altogether new things, and to use the internet and social media for positive social interaction and community-building. And in this area, our amazing education community can lead the way.

Do you know other families whose children are homebound these days? Why not reach out to them and create an online community? Using technology like Google Classroom, Skype and FaceTime as well as a plethora of other local online tools, students and families can create virtual classrooms, collaborating on homework, lessons, reading programs, projects and presentations. They can take and share videos using their smartphones, and compare the best education apps to download to their tablets and other devices.

Educators have been working hard on how best to continue delivering exceptional learning and education to students through online classes and collaborative learning environments. This delivery method will be another change for many students and families, but it also represents a significant opportunity for our dedicated teachers to give students a richer educational experience.

Even more important than our students’ formal education are the life lessons they learn in challenging times: lessons like optimism, resiliency, adaptability, perseverance and community-building. As school board trustees, educators and leaders in our school systems, we can model positive, resilient attitudes – being open to change and embracing opportunity, even in the midst of uncertainty.

With all of that in mind, the most important element is our ability to stick together as a community, looking out for those who need our help and keeping a positive outlook. And a significant element of being able to help others is first taking care of ourselves.

While you take care of your physical health, safety and wellbeing, please also make sure to safeguard your emotional and mental health, safety and wellbeing. We all react differently to change. I encourage you to keep your health – and that of your family – your top priority.

All of us at the Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta are thinking of all school board trustees, teachers and staff, students and their families, and wishing you all health and safety during these uncertain times.