VCC Magazine Summer 2020

V irginia C apitol C onnections , S ummer 2020 18 This has been a summer like no other in education. A time that usually offers an opportunity to recharge, pursue professional development opportunities, and reflect at length has stretched into a season of hard work and sleepless nights for so many teachers, parents, principals, superintendents, school board members, and university educators. University schools of education and their partners in Virginia’s public school divisions work closely on many issues of mutual importance all year long, but summer is a slower time, one of reflection and planning for incremental changes in the upcoming school year. If there are big changes to be made, they might be in just one area of focus. Not this summer—not this year. This summer involved all parties in constantly working through the many variations of school and university re-openings. Many plans have been drawn up, been changed, and changed back again as our scientific and public health communities’ understandings of the Covid-19 pandemic and its implications for school communities became more widely understood. As Virginia’s public health district directors articulated during recent school board meetings, major developments continue to occur every two to three weeks. With insufficient amounts of Covid-19 testing, combined with extended test result times, occurring in our state, and with case and infection rates slowly rising, it is increasingly clear that re-opening our preK-12 schools for in-person instruction this fall would cause serious safety issues for everyone—students, teachers, staff, and families. Committed as always to their students’ well-being, parents, teachers, and administrators began to raise their concerns in many acts of quiet heroism. Administrators and school boards listened to those voices and bravely agreed to do what is necessary, caring, and right given the current state of the pandemic. Despite everyone’s desire to be back together in-person in our school communities, we saw many divisions choose all- virtual starts to the school year. Now, the focus will shift towards engaging, effective virtual instruction to students at all levels, with extra emphasis on assisting students with special needs and those in marginalized communities. It will not be incremental. It will not be in just one area of focus. It will mean even more hard work in the weeks ahead. In these efforts, our schools of education want our preK-12 partners to know: we fully support you, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Our pre-service education students and their instructors stand with you.We are always willing to work collaboratively and flexibly with our partners. We’re ready to adapt our field placements and co-construct clinical experiences that suit the needs of the preK-12 schools as well as our teacher and leadership education programs. We know that we can trust our students to their mentors, and we know that they will receive great care and enriching experiences. Now more than ever, we want our students to learn what best meets student and family needs in times of crisis. We want them to participate in the most relevant and timely professional development, from best practices in remote teaching to trauma-informed and anti- racist teaching. We’re here with you. We know that teachers and learners will face layers of trauma; educators need to make time and space for that. We know that veteran teachers will identify the varied needs of students and families, and we’ll make sure our students help you meet kids where they are. To all of our school and division partners— the welcoming mentor teachers and supportive building administrators, the families in every community, the human resources staff, the division leadership who help us prepare each new cohort of beginning educators: thank you for speaking up and for looking out for our school communities. We are here for you and our Virginia schools, now more than ever. Thank you for all that you do! Let’s make this a rewarding, enlightening, and community-strengthening year— together. Jeff Davis Director of Clinical Practice and Partnerships School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia Governmental Relations Representative, Association of Teacher Educators –Virginia Adria Hoffman, Ph.D. Anna Lou Schaberg Professor Department of Teaching & Learning VCU School of Education President-Elect, Association of Teacher Educators –Virginia My husband was so ill; he could not do anything, but lay helplessly in the bed. We had medical consultation by phone from several doctors, but it was clear, we just had to wait it out. There were days of chill, high temperature, the metallic taste in your mouth or no taste or smell at all. My daughter had body rash. We suffered with extreme body pain, especially chest and neck pain. There was the constant cough, excruciating headaches. My husband’s constant complaints about the pain running through his toes still haunts me. I am sharing this intimate story, because this virus is a serious disease. I want my brothers and sisters to understand the power of this virus as a deadly weapon, it can and will kill you. With over 130 thousand Americans succumbing to and over 3.8 million Americans having contracted this virus, we need brothers and sisters to first take care of themselves, and then to take care of one another. As the businesses reopen, brothers and sisters, the message to each of you is, reopening does not give us permission to relax. African-Americans have been affected disproportionately, as we battle a disease that places us a very precarious position. Therefore, we must work diligently to help our brothers and sisters understand how unmerciful and unrelenting this disease is. We have lost so many of our loved ones. This virus is notorious with an edge on all of us; it can see us when we do not see it. We must continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask, wash our hands, and follow all the CDC guidelines. We can win this battle, but we must stay the course. In Storie’s mind, the coronavirus wanted brothers and sisters to spread, but I want brothers and sisters to LIVE! I think I learned aVALUABLE lesson during this Pandemic from a little person named Storie. Delegate McQuinn is a Democrat representing part of Charles City, Part of Chesterfield, Henrico, and Richmond City. My Family’s Close Encounter with Covid-19 from page 4 Support for our Colleagues and Friends in the preK-12 Public Schools By Jeff Davis and Adria Hoffman, P h .D. davis hoffman V V