Dear D102 Families,
  
I want to thank you, our D102 families for being patient and considerate of the changes your children, our students, are experiencing. We recognize the shift in all of our daily lives and the impact that it has on each of you, as well as our teachers. Today, Wednesday, March 18, marks the first day of our Alternative Learning Plan. Our teachers have done a remarkable job preparing for this and are anxiously waiting to see how it goes. I could not be more proud of their tenacity and work to prepare for today. 
 
As we enter into the Alternative Learning Plan schedule this morning, there are a few things that I would like to outline to help manage your expectations, along with those of our students and teachers, for today and the rest of this week.
 
  •  Today may not go entirely smoothly. This is new for everyone. Despite students frequently accessing and using technology here at school, trying to log in from home may likely be a new experience for most of our students. We expect some bumps and issues and should all consider the next couple of days a trial period. While our students may be tech natives, they are still children and will need some time to try, fail and try again. 
 
  • Something will not work as we expected. The best-laid plans will have bumps and turns. I ask for your flexibility and understanding throughout this time. We will get better each day. It WILL be okay.
 
  • This Alternative Learning Plan is not designed to replicate a typical classroom experience. Our focus is on reinforcing and enriching previously learned skills during this first week. As we get better and our students feel more comfortable we can begin to increase some of the expectations. Assist where you can, but also let your children work on activities independently. We are going to go slow to go fast. 
 
  • This is new for all of us. The whole country has had to make radical shifts in its thinking. How we show up for our children, our students, will show them that we can problem solve, overcome obstacles, demonstrate empathy, and continue learning and growing—resilience during times of adversity.
 
What do I ask of you during the Alternative Learning Plan Days?  Please be patient as we begin the day. If possible, try to not email the teacher or call the building offices or district office unless there is a significant concern. We anticipate connection speeds might be slow, some children won’t be able to log in, and things will be bumpy. We will debrief with our teachers to problem-solve issues they are experiencing and that the students have relayed to them through the lessons. Most often, the situations will resolve themselves on day two or three. We will learn from our mistakes and make the next day better.   
 
I will be sending another communication tonight to debrief about today and give any further directions. These are challenging times, and I have been impressed by how teachers, parents, staff, and students have been responding. Thanks for your support of District 102 as we continue on this unprecedented journey together.
 
Onward,

Kyle
 
Kyle A. Schumacher, Ed.D.
Superintendent