Sara Sandstrom, Nederland. As schools open up to our youngest learners and some schools to all students I would like to acknowledge and thank school staff for their dedication to the school and the students. 

Teachers and administrators have been working tirelessly to provide instruction online. There have been meetings on top of meetings on how and what to do. Think how odd it is for teachers in their classrooms seeing students through a computer screen and teaching from an empty room. They do this while still making kids feel valued and welcomed. I have been immensely impressed with their patience. Patience with the youngest students as they learn to mute and unmute their computers. Patience with parents and grandparents as they squint to see the instructions on a Chromebook for an assignment or where to find an art or physical education class. Now that in-person instruction is happening for some students, some teachers have to completely switch gears again. Some switch to in-person learning and some stay teaching online. 

Everyone has to figure ways to keep students and staff safe in the classroom. Custodians have to be cleaning constantly. The registrar is constantly enrolling and unenrolling students as families figure how to handle school this year. The principal and teachers are figuring out schedules, so students do not cross in the hallways or out at recess. Workers in the lunchroom have to figure out how to serve breakfast and lunch with all the Covid safely measures in place. The nurse or healthroom worker has protocols to follow. The tasks are endless. 

Add to that, the excitement of having students back in the school building is thrilling. Now imagine being so excited to see students again and not being able to greet them with a hug or a high five. There is nothing easy about any of this for anyone. 

I have heard my daughter’s teacher say more than once that we need to keep persevering. This means through all the meltdowns, glitchy computers and camera malfunctions. 

I think the 2020-21 school year will be remembered for student, parent and school staff dedication, bravery and perseverance. Let’s not forget how hard this is on so many and how hard everyone is working. 

(Originally published in the October 1, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)