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Let the Learning Begin – Principals Talk About Being Back
Description
As our schools prepare to welcome students back, principals are excited to see the new school year begin after having buildings empty for nearly six months. In this episode of the Supercast, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey talks to some principals about their hopes for a safe and successful school year despite changes brought on by the pandemic.
Audio Transcription
Superintendent Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It has been a long, and some might say "lonely", six months for principals, who are used to having schools filled with students, teachers, and staff involved in learning, and so many other exciting activities that bring a school community together. On this bonus episode of the Supercast, we sit down with a few principals. Hear from a counselor to find out how they plan on welcoming everyone back, and the excitement that surrounds having students in school. Again, we're here at Mountain Creek Middle School with Kimberly Stewart, the Department Chair of the Language Arts department here, a teacher, and also a parent of elementary age students in the District. Thanks for talking with us.
Kimberly:
You're welcome.
Superintendent Godfrey:
There's a lot to do preparing for the school year and department chairs, as we've tried to juggle online and in-person instruction, have had a pretty heavy load. Tell us a little bit about what you've been going through.
Kimberly:
So, I think for my department especially, we had a couple teachers that have gone online or partially online. So, we've had to cover, admit our department, cover the classes that are live as they take some other schools’ online classes. So, that's been kind of a stressful way to start the school year, to know that our schedules are changing. I think we've got our final schedules today. You know we have a few days before school starts, so it's been pretty stressful, but I feel my department's been really good at jumping in. I've got an English teacher that's going to be teaching dance for a period and taking creative writing. Everybody's been really good about this jumping in and helping each other out.
Superintendent Godfrey:
There has had to be a high level of flexibility that's for sure. And I know teachers and educators in general are very good at that, but unfortunately, there's been a need for even more than normal.
Kimberly:
Yes, for sure. I thought that last year, opening the new school was stressful, but this year has definitely been more required. A lot more flexibility.
Superintendent Godfrey:
Was the thought, it's going to be better next year? It's going to be easier next year? I really am impressed at just how hard people have worked and how flexible they've been. And that combination is what's going to get us through.
Kimberly:
Yeah. Yeah. And that's what I've really just told my teachers. We just need to be calm and confident when we're working with our students no matter what happens. If we go online, that's fine. We've done it. The students just know it's going to be okay and we're ready for it. And it's not going to freak anybody. We're going to be fine.
Superintendent Godfrey:
As you anticipate students returning, what are you most excited about?
Kimberly:
I'm just excited for their energy back in the building. We've seen some come in to see their lockers and get tours. And we just are so excited to see kids back in the building because that's where we get our excitement. We're expanding off their excitement and their energy. And that's really fulfilling for teachers to have that those relationships. And it was hard to do online in the spring. So, we're just really excited to have them back in here so that we can see them and interact with them and see them interact with each other. That's what I'm most e