Update on Spring/Summer PD with ECLC

Jane Feinberg

Dear ECLC Colleagues,
 
It seems like years ago since we gathered Cohorts 1 and 2 in Salem for the ECLC Showcase of Learning, though it was only the beginning of February.  Since then, our world has changed, our daily lives have changed, and our collective future is uncertain.  The ECLC Executive Team recognizes the challenges that each and every one of you faces in these times--juggling work and family in a way that requires the executive function skills of an air traffic controller, perhaps managing illness or layoffs among your loved ones, and more. 
 
In such times, the only way to navigate our way through is by turning to one another. The ECLC was conceived before the global pandemic, but it has always been designed as a relational learning community--a "place" (literal and metaphoric) for coming together to share ideas, to build connections within and across districts, to plan and reflect, to experiment in a zone of psychological safety, and to lighten the load that is always heavy for committed educators.  These values guided our team before the pandemic, and they guide us now as we aspire to help you meet what is directly in front of you, as well as what's to come in the weeks and months ahead. 
 
With that in mind, we have been planning a schedule of online events that we hope will provide a virtual oasis and a space for sense-making that is so desperately needed right now.  Here is what's on tap so far:

• Wednesday, May 13:  Superintendents Town Hall for Cohorts 1 and 2
  
• Tuesday, May 19:  Race, Identity, and Systems Exploration (RISE) session for Cohort 1 (Option 1 for those already registered for the series)
  
• Thursday, May 28:  Teaching & Learning in a Pandemic Mini-Series for Cohorts 1 and 2 : Session 1 of 2 
  
• Date TBD, June 2020:  Teaching & Learning in a Pandemic Mini-Series for Cohorts 1 and 2 : Session 2 of 2
  
• Tuesday,  June 2:  Race, Identity, and Systems Exploration (RISE) session for Cohort 1 (Option 2 for those already registered for the series)
  
• Wednesday, June 3:  Cohort 2 Superintendents Roundtable
  
• Tuesday, August 4 - Thursday, August 6 for the 3rd Annual ECLC Summer Institute. This year’s Institute is a three-day, virtual learning festival. 

 
For a host of reasons, we have decided to hold the Summer Institute virtually this year.  And because it's virtual, we have added a day.  While the primary rationale for the shift is the pandemic, we also believe that an online environment, designed well, can offer a personalized experience for a greater number of people.  Typically, we limit the number of folks who can participate, but this year we want to open it up because we believe the need will be great.  More on the details of registration to come. 
 
The theme of this year’s Summer Institute is "Cultivating Belonging and Resilience in Uncertain Times."  The areas of focus will be mental health, trauma, and equity, and we have invited a star-studded cast of experts to join us. Both Cohorts 1 and 2 are invited, with some sessions designed specifically for Cohort 2. There will be job-alike spaces, district team spaces, MainStage presentations and workshops, consulting time with experts, music, and more.  Stay tuned for details, and do mark your calendars!
 
We hope that the ECLC will be a source of strength, comfort, connection, and deep learning for you as we collectively put one foot in front of the other. 
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As always, please feel free to reach out with questions, concerns, and suggestions. 
 
With deep appreciation,
Jane