Whitehall Superintendent Check-in: 4/21/2021

Teacher appreciation week is the first week of May, and this year more than ever, I am thankful for the excellent staff I work with. I have been an educator for 21 years, and the past 13 months, beyond a doubt, were the most challenging of my career. I know the teachers felt the brunt of the changes, even more than I did. When schools closed abruptly last March, teachers were obliged to speedily reinvent their craft to supply students with digital instruction. The Whitehall teachers rose to the occasion and finished out the 19-20 school year with digital instruction and, unfortunately, without reconnecting with their students in person.

The 20-21 school year brought its own unique sets of challenges as we reopened the school buildings. Numerous families chose to continue digital learning with their students or decided to send their students to school part-time in-person and part-time in the digital environment. State and county requirements included keeping kids in distinct cohorts, no communal eating, and masking of all students and staff through last month. Thankfully, the level of COVID illness has been very low in the district. Knock on wood, but it has been 19 weeks since the last staff COVID case, 9 weeks since the last HS student COVID case, 20 weeks since the last 6-8 student COVID case, and 9 weeks since the last PK-5 student COVID case.

Despite the added challenges, the Whitehall staff once again rose to the occasion. The teachers adapted to the COVID environment with many teaching, scheduling, and procedural changes. The guidance counselors monitored digital learners and expedited enrollment status changes. The secretaries facilitated parent needs as the buildings closed to visitors. The custodial staff implemented new procedures to sanitize spaces and surfaces more thoroughly and more regularly. The kitchen staff created meals that were served in the classrooms or grab-n-go style. The paraprofessionals helped fulfill many new duties, including additional recess duties and delivering lunches to classrooms. The clerks put in extra effort accounting for the COVID relief money used to offset the costs of all the changes. The technology coordinator ensured Chromebooks were distributed to all of the at-home digital learners who needed them. The school nurse position was reinstated, and both nurses aided in keeping our students and staff healthy. The principals remained flexible, planning and coordinating the many adaptations that took place along the way.

We have five weeks of school left, and the entire staff is finishing the year strong. If you get the opportunity the first week of May, please consider telling the Whitehall School District staff "thank you" for their efforts! The amazing staff at Whitehall Schools is truly the reason we had a successful school year.