Ridgefield School District

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October 16, 2020\r\n

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Dear Ridgefield Families,\r\n

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Mindset is a powerful tool, a potent tool.  For most of us, when we learned to ride a bicycle, it was filled with numerous attempts, skinned knees, and maybe even a hurt elbow.  I know it was for me.  Yet that didn’t stop us from persevering and finding success.  I see this same resiliency in my boys.  As a parent, I’m comforted when they embrace and eventually overcome the struggle in any one area of their lives.  Resiliency is forged, ready to serve them in other areas of their lives, including all the firsts they encounter this year.  Their first, and hopefully only, pandemic.  Their first time completing school from home through Zoom.  Their first time wearing masks in a grocery store.  There is a lesson here.  Let’s use the power of a positive mindset and celebrate our new world of firsts.\r\n

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A recent first for the District occurred earlier this week.  We honored our students and employee of the month recipients at our board meeting like we have done many times before.  However, due to COVID, we needed to limit the audience to immediate families only.  So we used Zoom to broadcast the ceremony.  We heard from multiple families that the Zoom broadcast allowed family members from all over the country to join in.  Wow!  Viewers from all over the country celebrated with Ridgefield.  I think we have found a new tradition moving forward.  A practice that without COVID, we may not have discovered.\r\n

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Next week, for all but Ridgefield High School, we will be holding parent/teacher conferences via Zoom for the first time.  If you have not already scheduled a time to visit with your teacher(s), please do so early next week.  Let’s use a positive mindset while approaching this new first.\r\n

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Clark County Public Health released the newest weekly rate on Tuesday, 100.1 per 100,000.  Using the existing guidance, this keeps schools in our area still waiting.  As I type this, I feel it worth mentioning that a growing body of science suggests schools are not super-spreaders (The Atlantic).  There are also growing concerns regarding children’s unintended consequences resulting from school closures (EdSource) (World Medical and Health Policy).  The District remains committed to bringing students back to in-person instruction in a safe and sensible manner that follows public health guidance.\r\n

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Since I am focusing on the power of a positive mindset this week, I wanted to share a module put together by Jeff Utecht Consulting Inc. that focuses on Growth Mindset.  I hope you enjoy this resource as much as I have. \r\n

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I want to thank everyone that answered our call for candid Ridgefield Remote student photos.  Thank you!  There were far too many submissions to share them all, but here are a handful to celebrate Ridgefield Remote learning.  Please keep those photos coming (student.photos@ridgefieldsd.org).

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As always, stay well and remain #RidgefieldResilient.  

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Sincerely,

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Dr. Nathan McCann

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Superintendent\r\n

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