Does It Feel Like a New Year Yet?

Hello 2021! Does it feel like a new year to you yet?

We are two months into a new year that I thought was going to be much different. In many ways it is and in many ways it is not.

I had and continue to have high hopes for this year, but we got off to a rocky start. A friend on Twitter shared “Welcome to December 38, 2020!”

The events of January 6, 2021, are etched in my mind, and we continue to deal with the repercussions of that day. That day reminded me just how fragile our democracy is and, like all things that matter, we need to care for it.

January 20, 2021, reminded me about what is great about America and introduced us all to the brilliance of Amanda Gorman and her inspiring poem, The Hill We Climb.

There are glimmers of hope as teachers are starting to get the vaccine at sites throughout Arizona.

At the Arizona K12 Center, we are looking forward but, if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s the importance of being flexible. I really thought by now this pandemic would be in our rear-view mirror. I kept thinking things would be better by (fill in the blank).

We made the difficult decision to move our summer 2021 events to a virtual environment.  This year’s summer events will include:

• Beginning Teacher Institute (June 7-9) - a learning opportunity designed specifically for those starting their careers
  
  
• Camp Plug and Play 16.0 (June 14-18) - a time to advance your tech skills and learn some cool new apps with Tony Vincent and others
  
  
• Teacher Leadership Institute: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite (June 21-23) - an opportunity to learn from some of our nation’s top leaders as well as our Arizona TeacherSolutions Team
  
  
• GEAR UP: Summer Math Institute (June 28-30) - a time to learn from three of our country’s top leaders in math as we work to meet the diverse needs of our students

We recognize how hard teachers have been working all year. We know what a tough time it has been and, as a result, we want to give back by offering these learning opportunities at a greatly reduced price.

We hope you will take advantage of one or more of these learning opportunities. They will be a time to connect with teachers throughout Arizona while advancing your skills. We have some cool things planned so gather your friends and plan to join us.