A WEEK LIKE NO OTHER!!!
We are one week into the most unique experience we have encountered in education. I am profoundly proud of our staff and students for the adjustments they have made. These are all new circumstances, expectations, norms, and protocols for everyone. All of our kids and staff have taken these changes in stride and made it work. It has not been perfect, but I am proud of the safety measures our Board and staff have taken to mitigate the spread of this virus. Almost a week in, and we have not had to quarantine students or staff due to a school exposure. That is an accomplishment worth celebrating!
Monday, I was on the playground at the elementary prior to the school day starting. Kids were helping each other with their masks, reminding each other where to line up, finding their teachers from the previous year, and overall very excited to be back at school. As a student eating breakfast told me, “I missed this place!”.
Tuesday at the junior/senior high school, kids were getting used to the procedures of getting hand sanitizer as they entered the building and also going to lunch. The junior high kids were checking social distances between themselves while standing in line for lunch. A couple of kids needed a gentle reminder to keep their mask over their noses and all accepted the reminder and followed expectations.
Wednesday I was back in the high school during lunch time. The high school kids were talking excitedly about homecoming next week and wondering what might happen at the football game Friday night. Made me smile to hear our kids talking about normal high school things again, nothing COVID related.
Friday I was at the elementary school to see the remarkably caring work of our preschool teachers and staff. Kids (and maybe some parents too!) crying, excited nervous student energy, and new norms to learn. Again, we have students experiencing what they should at school, not focused on a pandemic.
164… that is the number of days we had not seen our students here in our school buildings. So much has happened over that time to change all of our lives. 164 days washed away from our minds this week when we got to see our Tigerhawks again. There is a lot of work to do to keep this moving forward. We will undoubtedly have some instances of quarantine and exposures. Still, I am confident in our communities to stay strong, stay together, and make this work for our kids.
We have sensational kids and staff here at Colfax-Mingo! It is unfortunate that more people didn’t get to witness the incredible work that was done this week. In the middle of a pandemic, rising positivity rates, political and social unrest, unbelievable weather events, and along with all the normal angst of the beginning of the year, I am proud we are showing our true identity…a united Tigerhawk family!
This is Tigerhawk country…Welcome Home!!
Take care and be safe.
Erik Anderson, Superintendent
Students are back on the playground on the first day of school
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