Back to School, 2020 Style

At this time of year, the typical question I get asked is, “Are you ready for school to start?” Most years, that question is met with laughter and a good mix of, “I sure am! I miss being with kids,” and “Yeah, but I have so much to do before the first day!” This year is not most years. Truthfully, no one has asked me that question, and there isn't a lot of laughter associated with school starting.

My last day of teaching with students in the classroom was March 17. At the time, I really had no idea that we would not return for the remainder of the school year. Each extension of the stay-at-home order and each announcement from the school district made it more and more clear how serious this pandemic is. Because of the closures, our preschool did not charge families for the final two months of school; even so, I saw my classes online through weekly Zoom meetings. I created two videos each week for my preschool families who needed a little extra something. We stayed connected, and we even had a drive-by graduation celebration for all the four-year-olds. Every single one of my preschool families showed up for the drive-by graduation. I think that's remarkable. I love those kids, and I miss them. I miss the fact that we didn't get to say our proper goodbyes. I am glad for the time we did get to spend in the classroom together, and I am glad for the many silly conversations we had via Zoom. (Incidentally, if you haven't Zoomed with a group of preschoolers, you have been missing out! Seriously.) I have been praying for each one of their families as they navigate yet another school year that is not “normal” and that may be creating stress for them. Nothing about this is easy.

 

Drive-by preschool graduation

After a good deal of thought and prayer, I decided to return to the classroom this fall. It was not an easy decision. Up to this time, I have been at home with people who believe the same as I do about the pandemic. Going back to work means mingling with people of a wide variety of interpretations of the rules. I have been living my life on the conservative side in dealing with the pandemic, meaning I mostly stay home. When we have gatherings, even family gatherings, we do them outside as much as possible. We do grocery shopping only every two weeks, although there are oftentimes quick errands that need to happen as well. Our state has a mask mandate for public places, and I am more than happy to oblige. I want to protect others, in case I have picked something up in spite of my best efforts. I want to protect my husband who is in the higher risk group of having Type 2 diabetes. I want to protect myself, as I am in the higher risk group of being over 60. I practice social distancing. My personal space bubble, already pretty spacious due to being a Minnesotan, has increased in size. 

At school, with my mask on

At school, with my mask off!

 

At this time, our state is not under a stay-at-home order. Last spring, our preschool followed whatever the local school district did, but this year that will not be the case. We are a private school, and we are making our own, fluid plan for the year, in compliance with state directives (which are also subject to change). As of right now, we will be meeting full-time and in-person; however, we have many changes and concessions due to COVID-19. There will be no field trips until restrictions are lifted. We will have curbside drop-off and pick-up to limit parents entering our building. All adults will wear masks in common spaces. We will wash hands a million times a day. We will clean toys and surfaces between classes. We will clean the playground between groups. Our class lists are changing daily, as families are finalizing difficult decisions as to whether or not they are comfortable sending their children to preschool. I understand completely and support whatever decision they make. Our preschool even added a classroom for older siblings (elementary students) who are distance learning. We will have an instructor who will be there to guide those kids and give them support as needed. (He happens to be my son-in-law Andrew, and I know he will do an awesome job.)

Meet the Teacher happened this last Thursday. In the past, each class group had a half hour window to come in and check out the classroom, meet some other families, and meet me. This year, each family (with parents masked) had a 15-minute window to come in and meet me (masked) and ask questions they might have about the school year. It was so different. It would be a temptation to say different means bad or delineates a loss. In truth, I liked the intimacy of meeting one family at a time. Sure, it took a lot longer, but there is no harm in slowing down. Did my glasses occasionally fog up from wearing a mask? Well sure, but we Minnesotans are used to that, right? It's just a little foreshadowing of winter! And in the process of meeting students and families, there were some incredibly joyful moments for me. I was reminded just exactly why I love my job so much.

I will start classes with my new group of preschoolers this Wednesday. From March 17 to September 2 is a long time! I do not have the normal “back to school” feelings – or rather, I have those feelings and so many more. I have determined that I will NOT give in to the temptation to assume this school year will be difficult or challenging or frustrating or any negative descriptor. I am going to let each day speak for itself. I know I will be praying more, and that is a GOOD thing. I am already evaluating each thing I do in the classroom to determine if it is essential, in light of the fact that our extra safety protocols all take time. It is good to examine habits and be ready for change. So, am I ready for the school year to start? The honest answer is “I think so,” or maybe, “As ready as I ever am!” I am blessed to have the best safety net ever, a loving heavenly Father who will sustain me through every possible scenario, just as He always has. And I will remember that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. “ James 1:17

This school year is a good and perfect gift, and I am thankful for it.