Each
fall for the last three years, I have presented the State of our Schools (SoS)
Address. I am super excited to do so
again this year. Last year it was done
via Zoom due to the pandemic and this year will be very similar as I will share
the presentation through the Zoom platform and also stream on Facebook.
Regardless
of the method, the purpose has not changed.
I will share highlights of the accomplishments of Team Selma over the
last year and identify how we are moving forward. Needless to say, the Covid-19 pandemic was a
game changer. Yes, our test scores were
impacted by this and this was a national trend.
There were also impacts from a social, emotional and mental health
standpoint. Yet, we have some bright
spots that we must celebrate.
One
such bright spot is that our relaunched strategic plan was approved by our
board of education last week. Stakeholders will see evidence of this in the SoS
Address. We look forward to highlighting
our new strategic planning area, Safety and Wellness. The goals and strategies within this area are
sure to be beneficial to our scholars and families.
I
don’t want to give away all the details but do encourage you to check it out
live or watch the recording later. It
will be aired on Thursday morning. Feel
free to share your feedback and let me know if there is an area that you are
interested in volunteering to support.
In
other news, as I have shared before, a couple of weeks ago I took my Covid-19 booster
shot. I was a little sore for a day or
two but no other side effects. With the
holidays so close, I feel better protected which is why I also got my flu shot
recently.
Are
you fully vaccinated? If not, there are
numerous opportunities in our community to learn more and to receive the
vaccination which is the best tool that we have to diminish the impact that
this virus has on the families in Selma and Dallas County.
Also,
keep in mind that the CDC announced that the three available vaccines are
interchangeable for booster shots. The
CDC has also approved vaccines for children as young as five. These are not mandated by schools but
families are encouraged to do their research and make the decision that fits
their family. Seek medical advice from
your doctor or a qualified professional.
The
pandemic is definitely not over but I am so grateful that circumstances have
gotten much better. Each week, we monitor the Covid-19 data to include the
vaccination rates in our state and positivity rates in our county. For the past few weeks, we have had few or no
cases but we will update our data dashboard and provide a weekly summary as
needed. We will also continue to share
any changes to our current practices. Please
reach out if you have questions or suggestions to improve our communication.
Let
me close by wishing you an early Happy Thanksgiving. I love this time year! This will be last article until the week of December
6 as I take some much needed holiday time to enjoy family and friends. I hope you will do the same. Please be reminded that Friday November 19 is
a remote learning day for scholars and all schools and offices will be closed
from November 22-26.
Continue
to check out our website and social media outlets for information on Covid
testing, vaccination sites other Team Selma news. We also invite you to join us in Doing Our
Part Everyday. Stay safe and be DOPE!
For
more information, email me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org
