March 16
Posted on 03/17/2022
Dear LS Students, Families, and Staff,
This day marks the two-year anniversary of when LS shifted from 100% in person learning to 100% remote learning and a new schedule. Due to the pandemic, a lot has been asked of our students, families and staff these past 24 months. Every student or staff member represents a family. Never have I ever experienced a time when school decisions potentially affected the family health and livelihood of any of our students or staff members. Needless to say, the last two years have been very stressful for our school community, for everyone.
The 100% shift to remote learning was extended by the governor through the end of that school year. This was followed by a fall and winter in hybrid learning and another different school schedule which ended with a spring transition to be fully in person and another modified schedule. The next fall we began fully in person with yet another different schedule with mask wearing required. Last week we shifted to mask optional and today we are a blend of maskless and mask wearing. We have experienced five different school schedules over the last 25 months invluding a change to start time. Every necessary transiton was guided by what would be best for our students supported by our hardworking staff and caring community. Thank you.
As I look out into the future I believe our community is stronger for what we have experienced all together. There are topics and issues that have happened in the past that bore the potential to have us take sides and divide us. Yet, today I feel we are bonded by our optimism fueled by the power of knowing what can be overcome and for the freedom of what we can now do not just for ourselves but for others. I would like to believe that we have a new appreciation for what we might have taken for granted and a new appreciation for as difficult as things might have been for us that it was a lot harder for others less privileged. Through uncertain times we have drawn strength from a community that was mindful of the vulnerable, deeply caring and cooperative. I would like to think that our students are now feeling empowered by the experience we have shared and their renewed freedom.
Since we’ve returned in person I have been struck by a resurgence in fundraising. There have been a lot of bake sales. : - ) Student run events such as the Musicians Union which may have raised a few hundred dollars total pre-pandemic are raising 5 to 6 times that amount in the short time we’ve been able to re-start these in person charity fundraisers. The first in person STEW*/MU event this year collected funds for a girls’ school in Afghanistan. This week’s combined MLK*/Musician Union Friday evening concert event will collect funds for Ukraine relief. The students have made and are making us very proud.
A week before we shifted to remote learning the first event we suddenly converted to be a completely virtual was the grade 8 parents/guardians night. So much that was novel became the new ‘norm’. Interestingly enough, this last week we very happily welcomed the grade 8 parents/guardians of the Class of 2026 to our first all in person parent meeting since March 2019! What had been the norm was experienced as novel, fresh and exciting. Let’s take this coincidental timing as an auspicious sign of the time to come with continued appreciation and care for one another and each other as we look forward.
Sincerely,
Bella Wong
STEW = Students Empowering Together Women
MLK = Martin Luther King, Jr Action Project