Tom Moore Brittany Light

January 2021 rustlernews.com 05 MOORE UNMASKS IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON LEADERS

Hear the full Taylor Willmarth exclusive interview with Superintendent Tom Moore only on Stampede Speaks. Log on to rustlernews.com for access to podcasts, videos, and special stories. “It’s almost surreal. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be by Taylor Willmarth, video and audio editor Moore:I think that for my entire career, the challenges that I have faced in my previous work and in this connections are of great value to me, and are able to lead and manage the challenges of this particular era. leading a school district under these circumstances.” school district don’t even come close to what we’ve Willmarth: This is a tough but necessary question. had to deal with here. It’s at times a little daunting in When you look at the district as a whole, would you terms of [determining] how you bring together the say that the COVID-19 response has been a success? resources and the people to make really good decisions Moore: I’m going to take your question and cut it when there’s no playbook or experience in this arena. into a couple of pieces. Last spring on March 15, we Willmarth: You’re writing the playbook? had some administrators on our district team that Moore: Exactly. In that regard, I feel blessed, were forecasting school closure. They were advising actually, to be working with a team of individuals me and preparing for what they believed would be with the wisdom to be able to think on their feet the eventual closure of our schools. And so we are and prepare quickly for different scenarios that up here on I believe it was Sunday, March 15th at unfold. I mean, we have to be pivoting almost the district office with all of our school leaders. I daily. And then sometimes, we almost have to be think we started at like 11 o’clock in the morning. careful not to pivot too quickly and make decisions We had every principal and Associate principal and too rapidly. Sometimes people are wanting us to let we were strategizing what we’re going to do, and them know or to make decisions right now, when how we’re going to manage each of these different the prudent thing to do is gather more information things. At about five o’clock that afternoon, we got and more input, and then make decisions. a call from the governor’s office closing schools. Willmarth: It’s a balancing act. Willmarth: It was an incredibly quick turn around. Moore: It’s a balance. Sometimes you have to make Moore: Yes. I went up and talked with a teacher an immediate decision. Sometimes it’s prudent to at your high school after we got back from [the take a little more time and let things play out a bit two week closure over Thanksgiving break], and and develop. Because of the team of people I have I asked out of curiosity what percentage of [his] to work with, and the fact that I had been with the students were disengaged during that two weeks. district for 12 years prior to assuming this role, and He said about thirty to thirty three percent. I think I have developed relationships with those people, it at least that many were disengaged last spring for Photo: Superintendent Tom Moore accepted helps a lot. I can’t imagine what it would have been nine weeks. That’s concerning to me. So, were we a two-year contract in 2019, replacing longlike to come in two years ago as the superintendent successful in engaging students in remote learning time administrator Tammy Lacey. from somewhere else and not have those established on the drop of a dime? No, we were not. Are we relationships, both here in the school district and better at it today than we were then? I hope so. in the larger community. A lot of my community LIGHT ON COUNSELING DURING THE PANDEMIC by Kerrigan Edwards, editor in chief

The mental toll that the coronavirus and new remote learning A positive addition to the counseling department this year has options have had on students is very prominent for counselor assisted Light and other counselors tremendously. “We were Brittany Light. “I think being in school is the best learning lucky enough to hire Mrs. Pace at the end of the summer, so environment. I think a common theme of student struggle this we all shifted some students. This actually lowered everyone’s year is lacking motivation. I feel like I talk to at least one student caseload a bit, which was much needed as our student to a day who has just lost motivation, and I can counselor ratio was fairly high,” said Light. Having totally empathize with that,” Light said. To keep in touch with her students, and make sure that “I want students to another person on this staff allows for completing other tasks and assists in complicated endeavors they are doing well in their personal lives, Light reaches out. “I want students to know that I know that I am there such as testing. Reflecting on what impact Coronavirus has had am there for them, though sometimes not for them, though on students, Light says, “Students are struggling physically there,” she said. To prepare for the reopening of the Great sometimes not academically and personally right now, and I would say there is a large increase in student needs at this Falls Public School district, Light had to take physically there.” time. I would say the most common themes I see on a variety of new responsibilities. “My job are motivation, signs of depression, and academic demands shifted over the summer when we challenges.” Light has not been a stranger to what were wrapping our minds around what block scheduling would COVID-19 has caused for her from a professional standpoint look like as well as creating schedules for fully remote learners,” as well. “Professionally, it has completely disrupted the way said Light. Like everyone else, Light”s job requirements have we think about education and instruction. I don’t think that changed slightly to accommodate this year’s unexpected turn. disruption is all negative. I think sometimes it takes something “During the school year, there have been some adjustments harsh like that for people to step back and really reconsider and growing pains, but the changes in my position are minimal, why/how we do the things we do and question if we could do compared to the exponentially increased challenges and changes better or be more efficient and effective.” Light said. for teachers,” Light said.