Dear educators around the world,
Recently, all of our lives have been radically shaken by the coronavirus which can lead to COVID-19. This global pandemic is affecting all elements of society, but especially teachers, students, and schools. Daily, I receive reports, updates, and stories from around the world about teachers who are reaching out to their students and their parents, colleagues, and their entire society.
At its core, ISP is a network of communities of thousands of teachers who are making a difference in their classrooms and societies, even if the classrooms are now virtual. I am proud to be associated with each of you. As a teacher making a difference during this time, you are my hero.
As an ISP family, we are deeply concerned for teachers and students around the world. Where schools are still in session, teachers are in direct contact with students, which puts them at greater risk of being exposed to the virus. In areas where schools have been closed, the need to shift to online teaching, or alternate means of teaching, adds to the already great burden teachers carry.
The leadership of ISP is in constant contact with government and healthcare workers, as well as educators around the world, as we consider the impact of the virus on our upcoming activities. There are multiple factors that we are monitoring, including the impact of our response on the teachers and staff around the world and the welfare of our delegates and staff members who were scheduled to take trips in the near future.
The situation regarding upcoming events changes daily. We will not host or participate in any event or conference unless we believe that it is safe for all to participate. The decision to postpone a trip is not taken lightly and is done in discussion with leaders in that country and crisis managers. We have postponed several trips, as it was determined by our international partners that this was in their best interest.
Doing what is best for the national teachers whom we serve is one of our highest priorities. If you are a delegate, please be assured that we also take your safety and welfare very seriously and have several people continuously monitoring the situations. We will keep this website updated with current information, but it does not look likely that there will be any large North American teams traveling for the remainder of 2020.
In the meantime, whether you are in North America, or in any other part of the world, if you are a person of faith, I ask that you join me in remembering teachers and the next generation in your prayers. Whether teachers continue working in a school, are on an indefinite break, or have had to switch to online teaching, we know that they are doing their best to calm the fears of those around them and to give hope in this time of uncertainty.
If there is anything that we at the International School Project can do to assist you as a national or local administrator or teacher, please let us know. We are all standing together during this time. Please know that we are praying for you all and look forward to resuming our normal schedule soon.
Sincerely,
Roy
ISP Executive Director