While leading the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) during this pandemic, I've thought of a familiar adage attributed to Robert Strauss: "Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired."

In education, even before this pandemic, we were wrestling with huge opportunity gaps, shameful discipline disparities and a teaching profession on the brink of breaking. In education, the strength to keep wrestling comes from the dogged determination that our efforts are going to help students thrive.

At the start of this unusual school year, we still have what it takes to keep our schools radically student-centered. The pandemic has forced us to change many aspects of our everyday life, but what it did not take away from us are our shared values about educating our students. The values that put our students' health and well-being first. The values that acknowledge that success in education means prioritizing relationships among students, educators and families. The values that are grounded in a deep trust in the expertise of educators, joined by high expectations to match that expertise to the kind of creativity and resolve that will meet the needs of the beautifully diverse and unique students across our state. The same values that are driven by a belief that we all want the same thing: to have each student attain their own success.

Even as the veneer of being an educator looks singular — one teacher per classroom, one principal per school — we don't succeed alone.

Everyone has a contribution to make as we launch this school year and continue to fight this pandemic.

Students, just focus on learning and taking care of yourselves. If you feel disconnected or have questions, reach out to your school community. You have a right to feel part of a school community even if your school doesn't have four walls right now.

Teachers, just teach. Teach like your students depend on you to get through this, because they really, really do. Even the ones not logging on. Especially the ones not logging on. Tap into the wild creativity I saw last spring of districtwide interdisciplinary lessons, #mathwithmeMN public outdoor art installations, competency-based coursework and project-based assessments.

Families, just love your kids. This pandemic has been hard on families, especially our Black, Indigenous, and families of color. In parent/teacher home visit training, the central question is always, "What are your hopes and dreams for your child?" You have a right to those hopes and dreams, so hope and dream and love your child.

School leaders, just lead, and you do not have to lead alone. School staff who are experts in their field bring years of practice to the decisionmaking table and families bring a profound belief in you. Our school leaders are making the best decisions they can with everything we know.

Minnesotans, offer patience and understanding as school leaders and educators promote the urgency of equitably meeting the needs of students through the safest and healthiest teaching and learning conditions possible.

I commit to supporting families, students and their learning through this pandemic to thrive. This is through MDE's expertise and strong partnerships with the Department of Health and regional support teams.

Our definition of success in education, and the values that drive us to pursue that success, haven't changed. We're going to continue to center the needs of our students in the state of Minnesota. Just as we invested in technology, masks and other services for our students through this pandemic, we are going to support our students and their families beyond this pandemic.

Relationships matter, representation matters, and the environment for strong teaching and learning conditions matter. We will be radically student-centered. Together, we will wrestle that gorilla* into exhaustion.

* No actual gorillas were harmed in the making of this analogy.

Mary Cathryn Ricker is Minnesota's education commissioner.