One MOORE thing... (3/18/20)

Hello OLOL families!

I watched the sun come up this morning as I was looking over returned work, online conversations, and pictures from our amazing students. It kept me smiling and thinking of our wonderful school and community.  I hope that you all are doing well.  This is an unusual time for all of us and I have three words I seem to keep coming back to: unprecedented, fluid, and balance.  We need to focus on our families and follow the directions of our nation's medical and political officials who are working hard to protect us in this unprecedented time.  Things are changing every day.  Things that we rely on and expect to be available, are not.  School is out, major sports are cancelled or postponed, movie theaters and restaurants are closed, and so on.  In this time we have to look to God first and our faith to keep us strong.  Then we look to the family around us and find a balance in our day.  These are days filled with new information, challenges, and blessings if we look for them.  I am a planner, an organizer, and an over-thinker.  We've only been out of school for 2 days and I have not found the balance that I need, yet. 

I hope you have some time to be with family, help your children to schedule their day, and find time for yourself.  This is a time to find some blessings in all this mess.  We are blessed to have such wonderful and dedicated teachers.  They are working each day to find new ideas and ways to stimulate their students while they are away from school.  Keep them in your prayers as I know they keep you in theirs.  You have always been the first educator of your child and now more than ever your children need your strength, protection, guidance, and love.  Our distance learning is helpful and is a positive force in keeping our community connected during this time.  Please remind your students that there are lots of ways to learn.  This is a special time because we can slow down a bit and realize that we need to teach our kids how to have a conversation, how to write in complete sentences that convey a complete thought, how to set a table, how to do the laundry, or how to fold a fitted sheet (I still struggle with that one).  The online learning and communications are just one part of a balanced day.  Please also remind older students that we expect all the online assignments to be done at some time, but there is no mandatory day to finish and no penalty for late work.  Everyone has a unique situation at their own homes, just encourage students to do work each day, if possible.  I keep you all in my prayers as we face each new day, together is spirit.
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A blessing for today:  A NEW BABY HAS ARRIVED ~ CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TIMMS FAMILY!  Adriana let her friends know through Google Classroom yesterday.  I don't have all the details but will share as soon as I know more.

May God go with you,
​Ms. Moore