For more than 2 years, we have been placed into an unprecedented situation with the onset of COVID in the Philippines last March 2020. We have gone through tight lockdowns that pushed us to cancel all planned events. From then on, everyone was confined to tiny little boxes on-screen. Now, things are slowly changing.
With the improving health protocols and easing travel restrictions, we are slowly transitioning to our pre-pandemic routine. Businesses are starting to open shop, and face-to-face events are being planned. We, at School of Tomorrow®, Philippines, stepped out in faith when we started to plan for our first face-to-face event – Christian Educators’ Training. We prayed about this way before the campaigning period for our national election started, knowing the possibility of a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases. We claimed God’s favor and grace. Now, as of the writing of this article, we are in the middle of the 1st Leg of our CET 2022. God is truly amazing!
We have tested the waters, it’s about time we dive right in. We still plan with caution, but with the comfort of knowing that God is sovereign. Here’s a practical guide to help you prepare for our upcoming face-to-face events.
- PRAY AND LISTEN – As cliché as it may sound, we really need to make this part of our preparation and decision-making process. Consult the Lord and lay down your concerns to Him. Seek Him and look into His Word for answers. This is our advantage as Christians, we have a direct line to the All-knowing, All-powerful, and Sovereign God. Once you have laid it out to God, wait and see. Be sensitive and let your heart listen intently to God’s answers.
- BUDGET WISELY – One of the advantages of virtual events is the lowered fees. But then, after two years of online meetings, most are already tired of talking to their gadgets. I know that the event rates will have a huge difference, so start including our signature events in your budget. Most, if not all, of our signature events, are required for schools that are using the A.C.E. School of Tomorrow® System. These are designed to help you properly implement the system and assist you with other administrative concerns that are applicable to current situations.
- INVOLVE YOUR CORE TEAM – Confer with your core people and carefully plan for the logistics of attending our face-to-face events. Take note that logistics during the pandemic are more complicated. Every small decision might incur a substantial cost. Careful planning is needed. That is why you need to bounce everything to your core team and trust that they fulfill their end.
- DOCUMENT THE PROCESS – This might not be your first time attending our events, but it will feel like it. For the past 2 years, we have been concentrating our efforts on providing virtual events. Transitioning to face-to-face will feel like trying to walk after sitting in a numbing position for a very long time. That is why we need to start documenting our process so that we can review and refer to it for your next event preparation. Put in all the needed details in your documentation. This will help you in your next planning session.
- PLAN TO BE FLEXIBLE – If there’s one thing we learned from this pandemic, it is the need to always be flexible. There is always a possibility that our plans will not work out as intended. A fool-proof plan is a flexible plan in all aspects – budget, logistics, manpower, etc. Put a little wiggle room, or, if you are tight on resources, create a contingency plan. The main idea is that we do what we can to be there.
These are just the basic things we recommend you consider during your planning time. You will probably encounter other things that will need a much more detailed approach, but most will generally work as you use these 5 things.
We will be praying for you and your schools as you go through this season of many transitions.
See you in our next face-to-face event!