2020 is almost behind us, and the holidays are looking different this year. But one thing that will not change is the spirit of giving - and we'd like to give back to you. In a year of in-person, distance, and hybrid learning, you've adapted your teaching in a thousand different ways. Thanks to technology, our world has gone on - but children still require hands-on activities to grow their minds, and our VariQuest team, many of whom are former educators, truly believes in the VariQuest Suite whether learning is occurring virtually or in the classroom. So we turn to you - our nation's best educators, to find out more about how you are, or would, use the VariQuest Suite of Tools and Content - when students are learning from home - and in exchange we're giving away lamination tools to protect your materials and make them "sanitize-able"!

Introducing a new learning concept with students may feel like a daunting task - with the uncertainty of the coming weeks top-of-mind. In the year that keeps us on our toes, we can still rely on those teaching strategies that are tried-and-true for classroom instruction, but quickly adapt them for distance learning when we have the right tools. The Y-Chart is one of them. The concept of a Y-Chart is likely not new to you, but thinking of ideas on how to make this group discussion concept work in a hybrid or distance learning environment, might be. We've again partnered with Cathy Henry from Free Word Work and The Curriculum Corner to put together some tips and activities that you can use, especially for distance learning.

In a year seemingly ruled by "Murphy's Law" - you're looking at supplies for your school that you've never had to before. And when you think about using precious funding dollars on tools you'll need during a time of a global pandemic, you might also wish they'll have longevity in use for the years of (hopefully) normalcy to come. Safe school elements you might be looking at would include capabilities to make posters, floor markers, personal protection and property labels, wipe-clean surfaces, and cleaning supplies - but how do you translate this need for now, with your needs for learning - both distance and in-person? Let's take a look at 3 "now and then" solutions for your school that will be a great fit whether you're navigating a pandemic, or not.

With the return of students to classrooms during this pandemic, 2020 has provided a robust amount of talking points and learning opportunities surrounding important topics such as race, inclusivity, safety and mental health. So how do you equip your teachers to address these topics with their students? How do you empower them to build substantial understanding and empathy towards their fellow classmates, neighbors and community members?

"...in the time of COVID." An addendum to many sentences these days as we all learn to navigate a new normal, this phrase is used for the flexibility, adaptability, and patience we've accepted as our most crucial character traits in recent months. As this has been a scary time for everyone, especially students, you may need to welcome everyone back with some social-emotional learning lessons and activities - to discuss worries and feelings. If your school is planning to welcome back students to the building soon, you might need posters, floor markers, and labels to help keep everyone safe. You might also need some ideas for personalizing students' belongings and creating disinfect-able learning materials. The Curriculum Corner has some of those ideas for you! In this latest video they've created in partnership with VariQuest, Jill and Cathy share their tips for showing strength and readiness through these strange times, to welcome students back to learning, wherever it may be occurring, with the help of the VariQuest Motiva®, Cutout Maker, and Perfecta® utilizing Engage Every Learner™ Content!

You've got a big job to do. And like always, we want to help. You're preparing for a new kind of year. You might be welcoming students back to your school building with brand new safety precautions, continuing distance learning for the foreseeable future, or a hybrid of the two - but your teachers, students, and staff will need new resources to adapt to the changing times. And so, we pledged to give you new content - for education on virus prevention, directional crowd control, and social-emotional wellbeing - on TOP of tons of new pieces for traditional and virtual instruction! We've delivered. Exclusively for the VariQuest 8.0 Software, this content update is packed with over 2,500 NEW and revised templates, cutouts, graphics, fonts, and collections - bringing our grand total to over 22,000 content options for our nation's best educators to create with. And it's FREE for our customers!

As adults, we imagine relaxing activities in the context of going to take a walk surrounded by quiet and nature, or soaking in a bubble bath with soft music and candles. We seek calm in a place of our own, free from distractions and unwanted noise. For many students, school is a safe and familiar place where there are established routines and food is a guarantee. And unfortunately, we know there are students whose homes are sometimes not any of those things. So while we as educators make every effort to mentor and support our students in a safe environment in every way possible, we must also consider how to create personal spaces for when the world becomes too overwhelming. On top of all of this, we're in the midst of a global pandemic. Enter the Calming Corner.

It's hard to describe this school year without using the words unprecedented, unexpected, chaotic, and strange. There just aren't the right words for the emotions you and your students are feeling about losing their "previously normal" routines. As this school year begins to wind down, there are some things you can still do to celebrate their achievements and remind them that the role models surrounding them with love and support are there for them, even in times of social distancing.

At a time when a majority of our social interaction is being done online, we have to be more aware than ever before of the things we're posting, sharing, hosting and baring. So imagine our students, who were born into a world where the internet was already accessible on a mobile phone. They're Tik-Tok-ing, Instagramming, and Snapchatting all day long to stay in connection with their friends during this time of social distancing. And as one of their biggest role models outside the family, what kinds of things are you talking with them about, as it relates to posting content on the internet?

We're talking a lot about virtual needs and resources these days, but what about needs for those who NEED to be in-person? We at VariQuest are corresponding (from a distance, of course) with friends and family who are on the front lines of fighting this pandemic in healthcare facilities, and a common need at these places was around mitigating confusion via signage. People showing up to schools and hospitals need to know where they can and should go, to get the essential food pick-up and emergency care they need. And we thought - we can help with that!