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September 24, 2021
Dear Hastings Families & Staff,
Hello. A simple word, which I am saying at each step around the Farragut Complex and Hillside. The greetings are coming back in return. Thank you.
This week’s update digs into Social & Emotional Well-Being, National Hispanic Heritage Month, Always Looking to Improve, and COVID-19 Updates (sorry, but necessary). I end with a compliment. Read on.
Our Tall Seven — Social & Emotional Well-Being
Last week, I highlighted the launch of a new approach to systematically analyze the academic performance and growth of students. I am pleased that next week we will be announcing the details of a parallel system to gauge and address the social and emotional well-being of students. (Academic Growth and Social & Emotional Well-Being are two items in Our Tall Seven.)
Longitudinal evidence and information are essential. One-time surveys or inquiries are insufficient for accurately understanding student performance and well-being. Over the past two years, we have used Panorama survey resources, developed by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Panorama Education, to understand student perceptions of the social and learning climate. Building on this work, we have identified a widely respected survey instrument, the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Panorama Survey, for grades K-12.
Details on the survey, including links to information on the specific questions asked in the various grade levels, will be shared with all Hastings families in the coming week. We plan to administer the survey three times this year to establish a baseline for longitudinal findings. If this plan is effective, we would continue the sequence in future years.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place annually from September 15 to October 15. It is a time to celebrate the achievements of Hispanic/Latinx Americans who have inspired others and to recognize the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latinx community. In preparation for this year’s celebration, a team of teachers met over the summer to identify resources celebrating Hispanic/Latinx heritage. Jenice Mateo-Toledo subsequently worked with Steven Lopez on the plan for disseminating educational resources. The resulting district-wide correspondence, along with the resources, was sent out last week. While this was timed with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th), our hope is that faculty can make use of these resources throughout the year as we continue to develop and enhance our culturally responsive practices.
Always Looking to Improve
I have been struck by the commitment of the Leadership Team, faculty, and staff to not settle for “good enough.” My new colleagues are always looking for ways to improve what we do for Hastings students. Over the last two weeks, the Leadership Team reviewed the Fall 2021 opening to identify successes, struggles, and areas for improvement ─ immediately for this year and for the Fall 2022 opening. The headlines on the consensus areas for improvement are noteworthy:
● Communications ─ Extent, Efficiency, Accuracy of Website, Emails, and Memos.
● Scheduling ─ Middle School and High School will be reviewing how to make schedules most effective for students and teachers.
● Transportation ─ All the issues noted in last week’s update to the Community.
● Registration, eSchoolData, and Technology ─ Ensuring data and information are precise, and students and staff have timely access to digital resources.
● Staffing ─ Optimizing school and classroom coverage, especially with monitors, security, and substitutes.
We will keep the community informed as we proceed with necessary adjustments and improvements in each of these areas.
COVID-19 Management Update
The beat goes on. For calm and reasoned thinking and actions, I must keep the updates flowing on a topic we all wish would be behind us. Please review this bulleted set of fresh information:
● Optional COVID-19 Surveillance Testing ─ I hope by now you have read the communication from earlier this week (9.20.21) on the optional COVID-19 surveillance testing program we are offering in partnership with the WCDOH. Information is HERE if you missed it. Let’s rally to participate in this optional program, as a statement of our dedication to a healthy school year.
● Shared Commitment to Health & Well Being ─ We have updated the Shared Commitment statement so it reflects the surveillance testing program and the new testing (if not vaccinated) mandate for employees. The new version is HERE. I have been encouraged to remind families that the honor system still requires daily home health checks and stresses that students and staff stay home if not well, and especially if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
● Stay Current with the COVID-19 Management Document 2021-22 ─ The document has been updated this week and is available HERE. Updates address Physical Distancing (Item #4 and #10), Employee Testing, if not vaccinated (Item #6), Optional COVID-19 Surveillance Testing (Item #7), and the Shared Commitment Document (Item #13).
Let me end with a compliment, which speaks to Us and Caring, two of Our Tall Seven, in the context of COVID-19. Here it is: Hastings students are doing an excellent job of wearing their masks, as bothersome as they may be, and by doing so are proving that Us and Caring are the signatures for this Village by a River.
Be well.
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