keeping students in class five ….

keeping students in class five days a week.”

“We had a lot of kids swept up in it,” said Felhofer on the situation in Greenwood. “Most were just close contacts. One person could take out 20. There was quite a number of staff out heading into Thanksgiving time. We decided to maybe take a little break, come back on Dec. 7. Since we’ve been back, only a handful of kids have been out.”

With the changes in quarantine status for teachers and students, advances in technology became a very important part of instruction as the school year went along. Before the pandemic, the administrators said getting more technology in the classroom was a goal they were working toward, but the pandemic forced them to adopt and adapt to the new technology faster than they had anticipated.

“Teachers have taught synchronously and insynchronously,” said Granton district administrator James Kuchta. “They are at their computer and teaching at the same time. Sometimes they are recording lessons for those kids who can’t attend class so they can log on and watch it later. It has added a lot more work for them … Our students are extremely resilient, they are doing amazing at putting up with the technology and learning along with us in addition to learning how to problem-solve and work. The students have put forth an effort and have worked from home and have done quite well.”

The adoption of the new technology has not only been a great benefit during this time, but will continue to be useful in the area districts even after the pandemic is over.

“I think there are some positives, one thing was the 1–to-1 initiative where every kid would have a computer,” said Felhofer. “We were kind of working that way when the pandemic hit, then we needed to go all the way. Now each kid has their own device.

Students have access to better technology, virtual learning, and more staff know how to use this technology as a tool to expand a lesson and deepen student learning.”

Looking ahead to their return at the start of January, the school administrators said there are a few things they hope will be changing for the better. With news of a vaccine on the way, they said their hope is to begin opening up the school to some more normal activities, both with the community and between students.

“After we come back, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel with vaccinations,” said Lindner. “I see it slowly going back to more normal. I’m not saying that masks will be removed, but we will have more activities. We haven’t been able to have a lot of extra curricular stuff, I see that opening up a little bit more … We would also like to get parents back in, the community back in. Our school buildings are a key part in our small community, we would like for them to be able to come in here.”