Thank You Note To Andover Public Schools Staff/Faculty

Press release from Andover Public Schools:

March 15, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

"One year ago today, my predecessor reached out to share the news that I suspect many of us never thought we’d hear: Governor Baker announced that schools would close for at least three weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19. While the decision had been made to close Andover’s schools temporarily on March 13, this announcement shed additional light on the scope of the challenge that lay ahead at that time. The concept of an abrupt three-week closure was so foreign to all of us at the time, and I doubt anyone could have envisioned then that it would be a year before a return to larger scale in-person learning would become a reality.

From the very beginning, teachers and staff throughout the district worked to keep their students connected to their schools and continue their learning, even in the face of extreme uncertainty about the days, weeks and months ahead. That effort started with review material and enrichment activities done remotely, but as the scope of the crisis became more clear, you adapted to help your students achieve academic goals and benchmarks that were set for them in what now feels like an entirely different era. In doing so, you helped provide a sense of continuity and normalcy for students and families during a time when they needed it most.

I cannot emphasize enough how proud I am of the work you’ve all done in the face of immense unpredictability. Your flexibility and openness to new ideas and approaches has made an immeasurable impact on sustaining a sense of community and togetherness -- even as we’ve spent the last year largely apart from one another.

As we reach a turning point in this crisis, I am optimistic that the work you’ve done since those first days last spring will both have a lasting positive impact and translate well to this long-awaited next phase. We haven’t reached the end of this pandemic yet, but with continued vigilance in adhering to prevention protocols I am confident that we can safely take this meaningful step toward normalcy as we return students to classrooms.

I am so grateful for you and your commitment to supporting your students and their families while confronting the challenges of the last year with your own families. I truly believe that your work has made a difference in our community, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Sincerely,

Claudia L. Bach

This press release was produced by the Andover Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.