College of Education Team:
Spring has officially sprung at my house. Daffodils are finally in full bloom. The grass is turning greener. The warmth of sunshine is streaming through the windows. Lyla has her own window seat in my office, and Lucy has discovered that looking outside to see the birds and neighbors walking by is a fun activity.
Much like the natural progression of spring, many of our college activities are proceeding normally: the semester is nearing completion, we are advising students, forms are getting processed, emails keep coming, summer and fall course schedules are posted and students are registering. However, things are not normal – we all know that – which is why we must give ourselves and others a little grace and generosity as we all continue to adjust.
Bill, David and I had the chance to connect with some of you this last week during virtual lunches and coffee times, and we plan to keep doing this while we are all working and teaching from home. It was great to engage – to visit, to laugh and to support and encourage each other. If you are not participating in video meetings via Microsoft Teams or another video conferencing platform, I highly encourage you to do so. It’s so much more rewarding to see and talk with colleagues rather than just communicating through email, and to see even just a bit of their homes and their at-home personality. Please visit the DoIT Microsoft Teams site for additional information and resources if you want to get started.
As the newness of our remote working wears off, and reality sets in that we’ll be in this environment until the governor’s stay-at-home order expires, it is important to focus on taking care of yourselves physically and mentally. Unplug. Exercise. Color. Walk outside. Call a friend. Do something fun. Share your recommendations for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video with me 
. In short, please take care of yourselves so you have the energy to teach, work and be happy and healthy. By taking care of ourselves, we will be able to continue providing the support, encouragement, patience, flexibility and kindness that our students need to make it through the remainder of the semester.
Thanks for your amazing work teaching and supporting our students and keeping the college operating and moving forward in positive ways. Take care, be well and have a wonderful week!
My best,
