Dear colleagues and friends:
The last four weeks have felt like a roller coaster transition from school to summer. My girls wrapped up third and first grades at our local school (replete with a salmon-themed end-of-year performance and classroom popsicle treats). After sorting through unending stacks of art, worksheets, and missed notices, we began cobbling together child care and day camps and setting up new routines and habits. This interstitial period has always struck me as the very most hopeful and challenging time of year; it is both a moment to celebrate and set intentions for the future as well as rest, heal, and reflect on the wins and losses of the year.
In many ways, the feelings I’m experiencing as a parent reflect those I’m holding generally as a professional. The last month brought both the return of joyous in-person graduations as well as needed rest for educators and learners after another extraordinary pandemic school year. It also brought continued grief for the preventable loss of student and teacher lives in Uvalde, TX and significant uncertainty generated by seismic Supreme Court decisions that will affect the lives of generations of families and students to come.
It strikes me that holding this complexity and moving through it is the task. Our recognition of and grappling with the inequities and pain that exist must be held alongside our urgent hopes and resolve for a better present and future for every student. At TLA, we are so thankful to be in this work with you, building equitable, inspiring education systems in every community. We hope you are celebrating a year of growth and learning and getting some much-needed rest as we prepare for the year(s) ahead. As always, we share news and resources below for your thinking, and we look forward to hearing from you.
With thanks,
Beth Rabbitt, CEO
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