On Friday afternoon March 13, my children were let out of school for spring break week. Which turned into two. And then four. And then became permanent.
It was new and fun the first week, but lost its novelty quickly. We were all scared and confused.
My husband and I both work full time. I can juggle work and home and even a campaign, but I am not a 10th, 8th, and 4th grade teacher.
We have an amazing school district and incredible teachers. I will never be able to express how grateful I am for everything they’ve done to make sure our kids aren’t falling behind during this crisis.
This process has been incredibly difficult, and we’re learning as we go. We talk about partnering with our schools, but this is living it.
Those of us with school-aged children will never again take our teachers for granted. Their work is often unseen and undervalued, politicized in ways a doctor or firefighter would never be.
These last few months have made it clear how much work our teachers do every day for our kids and our community. We need to remember this, and put our votes and our resources behind our words.
I’m so proud of my kids for stepping up; they’ve shown so much adaptability and maturity. It has required hard work and sacrifice from everyone, but it’s also been wonderful for our family. Without the usual rush to and from activities every evening, it’s been the greatest pleasure sitting down to dinner together every night --- a ritual I hope will now stay with us.
The COVID-19 crisis has made us realize that things can change quickly when they have to. We have seen that the City of Scottsdale and organizations like the Charros and SEA can all partner with our schools to the benefit of our entire community --- to deliver school supplies, meals, and support.
Our local school systems nurture our community. Businesses also consider quality of life issues, including schools, when relocating. Good schools raise our property values.
The city and school leaders should be meeting regularly and sharing information regarding economic development, land use, and demographics. If I am on council, I will work to re-create the subcommittee between the council and the districts. This way we can deliver better services that allow for the high quality of life that Scottsdale residents enjoy.
The only barrier to better school-city team work is our own limited imagination.
Our 4th grade teacher emailed us this beautiful note: “Please be kind to yourselves and know that your kids will all be okay!! They are doing great. Please know that I am thinking of each of you and I miss you all so much. You’re doing amazing things with your kids!”
Thank you to all our teachers. We miss you; you are a part of our families.
