ARKANSAS, USA — At the start of the school year, the message from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas Department of Education seemed pretty solid: get as many kids into class as is safely possible.
But now with changes coming almost daily, school administrators across the entire state are taking a step back and asking parents to realize that things have had to get flexible.
"I think across the state there is a high level of stress for everybody involved," said Dr. Mike Hernandez, the director-elect of the Arkansas Education Administrators Association.
When it comes to schools, the superintendents who make up the membership of that group feel they're absorbing a lot of that stress.
Some of those members representing rural districts gathered Monday and Tuesday for a conference in Hot Springs.
Some felt great just to meet colleagues in person again rather than on video calls, but all knew there are a whole host of new problems facing them this year compared to past get-togethers.
"Having opportunities to share ideas among superintendents has been very beneficial," said Dr. Hernandez, who is taking the directors spot after roles in the department of education and as the superintendent of Hot Springs School District.
One big idea they are sharing is schedule flexibility. Two central Arkansas districts plan to dismiss students early as a way to let teachers catch up and scrub down buildings.
It's an idea that has cropped up now that districts have pushed to maintain in-class instruction over five days a week as directed by the governor.
"We get through the rest of these nine weeks, we see districts that are starting to modify those plans and make adjustments," Dr, Hernandez said.
As both Cabot and Conway schools announced plans to create "hybrid Fridays" and dismiss early, they dealt with some blowback from parents trying to juggle schedules and fearing quarantines.
It highlighted the importance of communication from the district administrators.
"We can be consistent, proactive and clear about what's going to happen at school," said Dr. Ivy Pfeffer, the deputy education commissioner, who said students appear to have done well adjusting to the social distancing measures so far, but warning adults needed to shake old habits from before the pandemic.
The early dismissals would be a way to relieve teachers who say the push and pull of teaching both virtually and in the classroom is wearing them down.
Little Rock officials have looked into the idea after dozens of union teachers took action and refused to report to class Monday.
While some districts work out the complicated kinks among the staff, they're asking for parents to make the adjustment because this is a new normal.
"Parents and schools really realize that they've got to stay in constant communication because they never know when a school is going to have to pivot," Dr. Hernandez said.
As for advice for his superintendent colleagues, he recommends searching for moments of Zen and dealing with the problems in front of them.
"My advice is to breathe," he said.
"Just really try to focus in on a local issue in your district and try to get solutions."