"Covid Keepers"
I know I haven't posted in a long while - but it's time. This is an important message for myself to express, and hopefully for you all to read.
It's that time of the year where we are frantically updating procedures, handbooks, staff rosters and the like. Enrolling new students, sending out supply lists etc. The excitement and anticipation of the First Day of School is now tangible as tomorrow is August 1st!
The hope of returning to school in a 'normal' setting is appearing doubtful, and we have started Mental Health/wellness training and plans for our schools. Having our staff and students safety and wellness is top priority, and yet we are an educational institution, so there is learning to plan for.
Throughout this past year, we have seen so much new learning for staff and students alike. Adjusting to new schedules, new learning environments and new technology to ensure that contact with our students and families continued - and of course teaching and learning occurred.
Story Time:
Recently I had a new consult with a specialist for a very minor complication as a result of my kidney donation 5 months ago. The initial overview of medical conditions and history was reviewed and the following conversation went something like this:
MD: So other than your kidney surgery and this new issue, you look and sound pretty healthy. Any other concerns or conditions I should know about?
Me: Thankfully, I am pretty healthy, just fat!
We both laughed and she reassured me that we all have experienced Covid weight gain.
I shared that I have put on the Covid 19lbs plus the Ed 20lbs. Ed is my fiancee who was/is a chef. Over the course of the past year I have put on weight from his amazing cooking and not really minding at all :) I had looked over her notes section and noticed that the commentary section is preloaded with the following:
I said to the doctor:
"So I noticed that you have this preloaded description of your patients in your notes. What if your patient isn't very pleasant? Do you edit your notes?
MD: Well patients are mostly pleasant, like you, but every now and then we do experience the other. I like to put that in there as patients like to hear something positive.
Post examination conversation:
MD: So we are going to book you for more testing, but in the meantime this is the recommendation.
She hands me a sheet and my eyes goes straight to priority number 1!
WEIGHT LOSS!
The conversation at that point in my head went something like this:
So you said I wasn't fat, but you were just being nice. When in reality I really should focus on losing weight and then this new issue could potentially go away. Why didn't you just start with that?
I share this personal anecdote because I believe we are all tired of the lack of transparent and authentic conversation.
I value authenticity SO MUCH, and strive for that personally and professionally. I believe my teams can attest to that priority of my leadership.
Now is the time, that we don't sugar coat. We need to have "courageous conversations", seek help when we are struggling, take time to unpack this past year and the possible unintended trauma that we as adults and our students may have experienced.
In the phenomenal training we received from the CRSSA team from NKCES at our district leadership training, this one sentence has overwhelmed my thinking. We have all been impacted by the pandemic, but we haven't all experienced trauma. We may never, but we all have the same shared experience of a global pandemic.
One of our phenomenal principals - now Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Boone County, Mrs. Kim Best coined the term "Covid Keepers" at a principal meeting. This term has floated around in recent conversations and I approached her with the idea of writing a book. Probably overly ambitious as I'm taking courses for my Superintendent License and she is taking classes for her Doctoral degree. BUT we both felt that sharing the GOOD changes that have come out of this past year will help us remain focused on the positive.
I asked another district principal what her "covid keeper" would be and she shared two remarkable things, one logistical/procedural and one instructional.
We want to share these great things with all of you - to help you focus on the good that has come out of this crazy year. To reflect on others, perhaps inspiring you to reflect on your own practices and possibly encourage a shift/change.
So we invite you to fill out this simple Google Form.
Results will be published in a blog first - before our school year starts.
We hope to collect themes and then real examples for you to read.
We are also hopeful that many of you will choose to share more of your story so that these stories will be collected and shared in a larger format: possibly a book. I would personally like to follow up with each entry, to see what effect those "Covid Keepers" had through your 2021-2022 school year.
Hoping to inspire, encourage and cheer!
Thank you, and have a fantastic start to your school year.
Geniene and Kim
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