Hello ThinkSelf Community,
As you know, Minnesota Governor Walz issued a “Stay at Home” announcement on March 25, 2020. This includes staying at home for two weeks starting Friday, March 27, 2020 at midnight and lasting until April 10, 2020 at midnight. It is also extending the closure of bars, restaurants, gyms, etc until May 1, 2020. The Minnesota Department of Education will be implementing a distance learning period beginning Monday March 30 until May 4, 2020.
During this time, you can still leave your home to buy groceries, gas, or find safety. ThinkSelf will continue to do its part during this crisis by staying home and keeping the office closed. Our staff have spent the last two weeks organizing themselves at home, like my home office here in my basement, and making sure they are equipped to work remotely.
We have been checking in with participants and learners, and so far it seems everyone is safe. And of course all are practicing physical distancing effectively, while still staying connected with their support systems through videophone, email, text, and social media.
Like many others, we are concerned about access to services and information for people with multiple barriers, such as DeafBlind individuals and those with limited language skills. As this situation is likely to continue for some time, and we are just not sure how long, we will continuously re-examine our status and prepare to provide in-person visits for crisis situations as soon as possible.
Teachers, learner advocates, and managers are adapting by setting up virtual tutoring sessions, and delivering materials while maintaining safe distance without actual physical contact. Our teachers will begin working one-on-one with learners through video communication platforms starting Monday, March 30th. Access to technology and the internet is our main concern at this time, and we are working with learners to overcome these obstacles.
Please do feel free to contact us by calling our videophone at 651-829-9089 or email hello@thinkself.org. And please, take good care!
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