It is tough running a school. And that’s without the hindrance of the coronavirus. Throw in one pandemic and stir and, well, pretty much any other profession seems preferable.
So first off, hats are off for education professionals who are trying to make their way during this mess. We’ve known a few teachers over the years, and we know that they and their administrators and staff are trying hard to figure out the best way to make education happen.
That is far easier said than done in this age of trying to teach students who chose to stay home and learn virtually and also to teach the ones who opted to come to class.
And all the while, these professionals are trying to stay safe and socially distanced and sanitized and keep their faces covered in settings that, of course, were really never meant to be handled that way. And wondering all the while if they are being safe enough, if their students are being protected, if they themselves are staying sufficiently shielded or if they are taking home the virus to spread to a loved one.
And beyond all of that, where are the students? We checked in with local school districts, and similar to what has been happening in other areas, some students are just missing. Not that anything terrible has happened to them. It’s just that quite a few students who were registered for school last year have, as late as last week, not stepped foot in a classroom, either virtually or in person.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In the Watson Chapel School District, 90 students were unaccounted for, and some of that was traced back to confused parents.
“What we found out is the parents were in the dark with what they were supposed to do,” said Superintendent Jerry Guess. “Last year, we finished the last nine weeks of school with AMI (alternative method of instruction) packets. Some of those parents were still in the dark whether or not they needed to re-enroll their kids.”
But even after those particular students were identified, many others were still not accounted for, officials said.
In the White Hall School District, the story was similar. There had been 50 students missing and, more recently, the number was down to 21.
There have been so many reports of these missing or “no show” students, as they have been dubbed, the state Education Department extended until the end of September the date for reporting enrollments so that districts have more time to find them. But after that, districts have to report the number they can verify.
The final student tally for a district, good or bad, hits a district in its pocketbook. Districts get about $7,000 per student from the state, so if these students are not found, the loss in revenue can be considerable.
Another place where life in education is more tedious is with the tools needed to make virtual learning happen. And again, the problem leads back to parents in many cases, as in they are not familiar with technology and maybe don’t even know how to turn on the Chromebook laptops their child has brought home.
In answer to that problem, the Watson Chapel district held a “Chromebook Boot Camp,” which was directed by high school science teacher Cameran Faucette, who stepped up to the challenge. But students get confused too. Faucette said one youngster brought his laptop in to be fixed only to find out that it had not been charged.
Faucette guided teachers and students through several technology scenarios in hopes of heading off potential problems. After the boot camp concluded, parents were appreciative. “Thanks for shedding some light on the chaos,” one said. “We are living in trying times. …”
Yes, trying times indeed. But we will persevere, certainly in the education arena, because there is passion there. Passion to make sure every student is located and brought into the fold, and passion to make sure each hurdle is cleared by every parent and child. Covid-19 is a tough foe, but teachers are tougher.