A rebooted education experience at SFPS
Aredesigned, reimagined and rebooted learning experience is awaiting Santa Fe Public Schools’ students as they return to school virtually on Aug. 20. The buildings may be closed, but we’re ready and we’re excited to welcome our students and families to the new school year!
Since the end of May, our bright and talented educational leaders have consulted the latest research and best practices, and reviewed stakeholder input to ensure that quality educational opportunities are provided to students, regardless of the learning model. What we’ve developed vastly improves on the spring remote learning model and will have a long-lasting positive impact on how education will be delivered in the future.
A digital learning experience is now central to learning across all academic endeavors. COVID-19 moved technology to the forefront, and there’s no going back. Because of Santa Feans’ support of educational technology note financing, we are able to meet the challenge of providing students with critical technology so they can succeed in a world that is forever changed.
Our students today are uniquely the Digital Generation. Among the most flexible in recent history, they will likely transition between in-person, hybrid and remote instruction, depending on the course of the virus, throughout the school year. SFPS has the devices, teachers, digital staff and plans, approved by the New Mexico Public Education Department, to make these transitions work, and they will. However, we haven’t disregarded the importance of relationships in teaching and learning or the socialemotional needs of our students. Training for counselors and teachers on building and maintaining relationships in a virtual world is critical.
This has been a difficult year for so many of our families and students. They have experienced
stresses such as job losses, reduced income and food insecurity, and sadness from peers lost to violence. Socialemotional learning and positive behavioral supports will be prominent in classrooms throughout the district this year. We cannot replace what the virus and harmful actions have taken, but we can ease the pain, and offer comfort, support and understanding.
A cornerstone of our preparation for returning to school is high-quality professional development. Teachers returned to work on Tuesday, immediately launching into specialized trainings on such essentials as setting up digital classrooms, the state’s new math instructional materials, culturally responsive teaching and learning, and interventions for student success.
Curriculum design teams have carefully envisioned and developed instruction for the first weeks of school across all grade levels and content groups. Collaborating on this effort have been SFPS’ Digital Learning, Special Education and Language & Culture specialists who have worked to develop rigorous lessons for teachers’ ready use.
Courses that are flexible and can be modified to meet school priorities and classroom needs are all on one platform, which responds to a frequent request from parents.
We are greatly concerned about skill gaps that may have developed over the spring and summer. Students will be immediately assessed so that teachers can quickly bridge those gaps and bring students up to speed.
When there are setbacks, we will set new goalposts. When there is fear, we will let experience and knowledge guide us. And when there are uncertainties, we will face them together and move forward courageously, but smartly.
Let’s make this year a time to look ahead, make the best use of our talents, skills and creativity, and lift our students and community up.
In welcoming you to the 2020-21 school year, I reaffirm our commitment to make remarkable happen, every day! I truly believe it will.