I’ve written countless COVID-19 stories. I was telling someone this week that they could probably be turned into a book. That’s just one of many subjects in which I’ve felt that way over the years.
With no end in sight to the era that is COVID-19, not a lot shocks me. In all honesty, not much surrounding it makes me feel good either.
Until I had a visit with Wilton Elementary School Principal Denise Austin last week while working on a story on the preparedness of our schools with the start to the 2020-2021 school year just two weeks away.
Let’s pause for a moment so I can note this: To say this is a fluid situation is an understatement. In recent weeks, the way things have been evolving when it comes to going back to school and what that looks like, sometimes before the ink dries on our weekly product, things/rules change.
We’re doing the best we can in trying to keep up. It’s nearly impossible.
On that note, what I can tell you is that hygiene and social distancing will be critical in our schools this year. With that in mind, Wilton Elementary came up with something that truly blew me away.
As discussed in our story on page 2, students will still go outside for recess, but will be split into one of six different zones.
What I didn’t know is that the school had a concrete pad behind it painted with several games for students to play with social distancing in mind.
Think hop scotch … on steroids. The school contracted with Ginny Harris of Tinted Vintage, and her husband Matt, to paint the concrete pad with several fun games students can play with just their feet/bodies. I took several photos, one of which you can find above, and the rest online at wdadvocatenews.com.
But you have to see it to truly believe it. If I were 15 years younger, I would have gone through some of them to give a video demonstration. It will truly be a fun zone where kids can unwind and take their minds off all the rules of going to school in a COVID-19 world.
The whole area is also surrounded by a painted walking track for the children. These are just a few of the fun things our school leaders have come up with in recent months.
For any of us who have taken teachers for granted, you know the ones — those folks with great benefits and unions battling for their salaries, which can get healthy (at least in these small towns). You know, the ones who have their summers off.
I’ll bet after the last five months there aren’t too many of us singing that tune! Trying to essentially home school our kids since March of last school year certainly put into perspective how heroic our teachers are.
They are fighting the good fight with our kids, and it’s never been more important than now.
I’ll admit I was skeptical. There’s been one resounding thought rattling in my head for months. It came from Curriculum & Professional Development Leader Jamie Meyer of the Wilton School District. He asked the members of the Wilton board a couple months ago to imagine more than 800 students coming back into the same building.
They likely couldn’t — and neither could I. In fact, I’m still not sure I can. Yet trust me when I say, if there’s any districts prepared for it, it’s our local school districts. They are trying hard.
It’s difficult to prepare for the unknown. And for all their meetings, all their plans, things will happen in the first few days from Aug. 26 on that will challenge them. Things they hadn’t thought of, even seemingly turning over every stone.
Will there be COVID-19 cases? Yes, there will be. Will hundreds of students make a fluid situation seem like an ever-deepening ocean? Yes, they will.
Our teachers and administrators will meet this head on. They will adapt. They have to. It’s the position we’re in. It’s the cards we’ve been dealt.
I’m still weary, but I’m with them. If I had children, I'd send them to school. I realize I’ve been a bit more "on the inside" than most of our readers. As head scratching as some of this stuff has seemed, student safety is at the forefront in Wilton and Durant. That’s what’s been allowing me to sleep (a little) at night.
We’re glad that parents have the opportunity to do the online piece through the AEA’s EdGenuity program. Yet I say beware of how hard it may be. Remember how difficult it was to get your child to sit through a lesson or two online a few months ago. Try all day. I don’t envy these decisions/situations.
And if our young ones fall behind in these online formats, our local school leaders’ hands will be tied. For the record, I’m not in any way trying to sway anyone’s opinions. These are very personal choices. Just thinking out loud after several one-on-one talks with the powers that be.