It’s been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the education system.
Since March, the pandemic forced educators, parents and students to adapt to quickly changing situations. It’s been a learning experience, USD 257 Superintendent Stacey Fager said, but he’s optimistic about the coming months.
“We feel like we can pivot pretty quickly when needed,” he said.
“It’s been a challenge all year. One day can change so much from the next. But the way our students, facuity, staff, administrators and parents have handled it has been amazing. I really hand it to all of them.”
Things like graduation, sports, school plays and even daily classroom learning look much different now from just a year ago. Crowds are reduced. Events are much smaller or moved to a virtual setting.
With all the changes, administrators want to keep as many traditions as possible.
That includes prom.
As the pandemic continues, administrators are hopeful they can organize a prom in April, Fager said.
“We’re planning for it. If we get to that point and we can’t do it, we’ll look at options,” he said. “We want to have something for our high school students. This is the school’s responsibility, so we’re planning and hoping for the best.”
The district was not able to organize prom last year. That means last year’s juniors, who would have organized the 2020 prom, are now seniors. Fager said it’s especially important to find a way to give them some sort of prom, so they don’t miss out entirely.
IN GENERAL, the district has managed to fend off the worst of the pandemic’s effects on education.
Students and faculty at times were asked to quarantine because of an active case or exposure to someone with COVID-19.
The district faced its highest concentration of quarantined students and staff between the Thanksgiving and winter breaks, Fager said. Since then, quarantines have stabilized.
He’s most encouraged by evidence that the district’s safety protocols and cleaning measures seem to be working.
The district has not seen any outbreaks or clusters that began in school buildings. When students or staff were infected, it typically was traced to activities that occurred outside school.
“At first, we weren’t sure if our cleaning procedures would be enough but we found that the work our custodial staff and teachers were doing in keeping high-touch areas sanitized has really helped,” Fager said. “We’ll continue with that and we’ll continue to be diligent on mask wearing because we see the benefits.”
THE NUMBER of remote learning students has been reduced this semester, as the district changed its policy to force struggling online students back into the building.
