We made it! It was quite a year. I don’t know if there will ever be enough ways to say thank you to educators who stepped up to navigate one of the most challenging years in education. As our State Support Team worked with districts and buildings this year, we saw so many examples of teachers and administrators taking the lead in their own learning and passing that learning down to students in the classroom. From implementation of new learning platforms, to student engagement strategies and apps, there was a concerted effort to provide a supportive, nurturing, and rigorous educational environment for all students.
All of that work is the true definition of “continuous improvement”. Continuous improvement is not only for districts the Ohio Department of Education identifies as needing support. Continuous improvement is for ALL of us- every district, building and staff member. It is a way of thinking that enables us to problem solve and innovate to provide the best for all students, every day.
Continuous improvement is also about us personally. It is a mindset that enables us to continue improving ourselves by practicing the self-care we all desperately needed this year, to learning something new everyday and applying that to all aspects of our lives and living with grace and empathy. I think we all learned that lesson this year.
I want to send a huge thank you to my State Support Team. Without you, the districts we support would not have had a listening ear, a coach to provide a positive outlook, a critical friend to help think through how to navigate changes, and most of all, empathy.
We all deserve a much earned rest. Whether you are travelling or staying put, make sure you take time for yourselves. Make sure you take time for your families. We will come back in August to continue our work with a new set of skills and tools that will help us on our continuous improvement journey…
Best regards,
Tracy Vetack, Region 13 SST Director
