We’ve already had four first days of term 4, and I don’t know how many more are coming. We started with all students in remote learning, then we were able to switch to some in remote learning and some receiving off-site tutoring, then we were able to switch to some in remote learning and some in in-person learning. This last week, we were able to switch to most in in-person learning and a few in remote learning. This has been rough on teachers and families. Remote learning has unique challenges here because many of those students do not have access to internet, though we have been able to provide them with laptops. In-person looks like it does in many places with screening, masking, and distancing.
Even though I am the principal, there isn’t much I can do to change what is happening as the school seeks to follow mandates and suggestions while working in conjunction with the mission so we continue to support tribal church planting. I desperately want to take away the heavy work load from teachers (myself included, as I teach grade 11/12 science), as they try to do in-person teaching well while also preparing for and connecting with remote learners. The support center is also experiencing shortages in other areas that put more responsibilities on all of us living here.
And that’s where you come in. Thank you, financial supporters, for the pizzas. Last Friday, I was able to buy and distribute a dozen pizzas. (A father of some of our students sometimes prepares food for pick-up on weekends. This is the only time we don’t cook from scratch.) I gave them to teachers that had worked long hours in their classrooms and at classwork exchange time for remote learners. They were going to be grading and planning all weekend. With a large pizza in their hands, they had several less meal preps to do. Thank you for helping take the workload off these teachers (again, myself included :)) as we anticipate a few more first days before the school year comes to a close.