Well, here we are...I sit on a Monday morning in my empty classroom after schools were closed for at least two weeks last Friday due to coronavirus.  This is my last chance to get work done here at school, as I am required to leave the building at 12:00 and am not to return until further notice. I wasn't sure I wanted to post anything about this situation, because anything I could say, any thoughts I have had, have already been expressed by many.  What can I add to the discourse...I'm no expert and I have no say in decisions being made regarding scheduling and closures...stay home, wash hands, try to maintain some semblance of a daily schedule, don't hoard toilet paper, look out for those in your community who might need some help, etc.

I am someone who likes to know what is going to happen in the future so that I can be as prepared as possible, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I carry with me a planner with all scheduled events for the next several months mapped out so that I can see what is coming up in my life.  I spend so much time looking over my planner, I almost don't really need it because I have all of the events and their dates locked into my memory!  Despite this, I think I usually do ok when something unexpected pops up at the last minute and I have to go with the flow.  The upheaval caused by the spread of this virus goes beyond the usual unexpected event, obviously, and so I am struggling (as I imagine most people are) with having no idea what the next few weeks and months are going to look like for myself and the rest of society, really.  Because I have no idea, I can't really be proactive- I can't take steps to prepare for the future beyond doing my best to mitigate the spread of the virus.

So, I'll just leave it at this- to my students- I will miss you while we are away from school (believe it or not!) and will be thinking about you and hoping you and your families are doing well.  Same to my amazing coworkers- and I just wanted to mention that the concern I've seen these last few days for the well-being of our students is inspiring.  I appreciate the guidance and leadership of our school and district administration and understand the enormous weight of the decisions they have been forced to make and will continue to have to make.  I cannot express enough gratitude and appreciation to all health care workers who are and will be battling this outbreak on the front lines, as well as those in other lines of work who must go above and beyond what is normal to keep our communities functioning in this crazy time.  We don't know yet what the next several weeks and even months will be like, but I suppose that's ok.  I hope we'll be back to biology class soon, but if not, I understand that there are important reasons why we aren't.  I'll be praying for strength, wisdom, and compassion for us all.