Yesterday, I left work at 4:30 after working through lunch and only accomplishing 2 of the 11 action items written on my board and missing a deadline. That’s a hard reality for a goal oriented, A-type personality like me.

I got home, ordered dinner, ate, then walked off my angst. At 8:00, I sat to work on my list. I worked until midnight to meet my deadline and cross one more thing off my list. I will work all weekend to be ready for Monday.

Dear Parents,
Teachers and administrators are doing the very best we can to make Monday “normal” for your child. We are being asked to do what has never been done before. We are learning new technology. We are being given guidelines by people who haven’t been in the classroom for ages. We are trying to be equitable to the child who lives in Prestonwood and the child who is homeless.

Please have grace and mercy with us as we learn how to teach all over again. We will make mistakes. You may not get your phone call or email returned quickly. Your child IS NOT the center of our world right now.

Pray for us rather than criticize. Send words of encouragement rather than emails of demands. The best way to support your child during this time is to support their teacher.

Dear Public,
Please stop posting rhetoric about getting a “refund” if schools don’t open fully. There is a cost to operating schools in the middle of the pandemic. Technology to be purchased. It devalues the work of teachers and send the message that what teachers are doing during this time is “less than” what we would do normally. I assure you it’s not. I have never in 22 years of teaching felt as unprepared to start the first day as I do today. I have never worked as hard. We don’t need your threats at this moment, we need your understanding.

Dear America,
Let us work together during this pandemic. We all want the same thing – Our Children to be loved, cared for, and well educated. We may not agree what the right way to do that at this time, but we are all doing the best we can. Let’s stop the finger pointing, the name calling, and the threats. Ask God how you can be a solution for our children in the middle of the chaos.

Okay, let me go prepare for Monday.