Teachers ready, anxious to return to classrooms
Local teachers said Monday that they are excited to be back in their classrooms and among their co-workers, with the start of school and the return of their students just around the corner, despite the pandemic.
“We have missed each other. We’ve been working hard on shooting emails and working back and forth trying to make a new curriculum that works well for both a traditional and a virtual plan,” said Angi Lesher, who teaches English in the Hot Springs School District.
Tish Tucker, a third-grade literacy and social studies teacher at Cutter Morning Star, said it “feels amazing” to be back in school and around her co-workers and peers again, noting it has been helpful for her.
Lesher said Hot Springs World Class High School students have been emailing teachers saying they are ready to return to the classroom.
“Sure, there are some concerns, but our district is super transparent and going above and beyond trying to be transparent and preparing the best way they can,” she said.
“I feel pretty comfortable, and I think most of my colleagues would say that they feel like our district is making a serious effort to keep us safe,” Lesher said.
She said the teachers in their classrooms have the ability to social distance a little bit. If the teachers can’t meet the social distancing guidelines, then they have their masks and plexiglass dividers.
“We’re still doing the best we can to keep everybody safe, and our schools are making a huge effort to put those precautions in place. It is a little bit concerning, and we are trying, but you have to innovate and get around it, and our district has given us the tools to do those things,” Lesher said.
Tucker said the teachers want their students in school so they will have some sense of normalcy and want the parents to know they are taking every precaution possible.
“This is what we do. We love our kids, and we love learning. I think we’re all excited to see the kids, and I think the kids are super excited to come back,” Lesher said.
Tucker said the challenging part was arranging the classrooms to fit the social distancing requirements and coming up with creative ways to ensure students are using their own supplies and having their own materials handy.
“(We are) making sure that we are well equipped to meet the needs of all of our students,” she said.
“We are working and learning every day. Our administrators have done an amazing job of helping us get everything in place so that we are prepared for students whether they are in the classroom, online or doing the blended learning,” Tucker said.
“I feel like the biggest challenge is we want to be successful, and we want to make sure that we are reaching every child’s need,” she said.
Lesher said teachers did not have to get tested for COVID-19 before coming back to campus, but they did have health screenings and temperature checks to get into every building.
“We’ve been able to maintain those screeners and temperature checks efficiently and with fidelity. The district has done well,” she said.
Lesher said it’s a new normal for the citizens and the district is making a huge effort to be proactive and be ahead of the curve and do whatever they can.
“They have given us tools, and they have been as transparent as they possibly can,” she said.
“When they haven’t had plans or directions for specific questions. They had gone back to the drawing board and worked on those things. I think that the district has the teachers’ safety and students’ safety at the forefront of their minds,” Lesher said.
“This is going to be an amazing year. I know it’s tough, and it’s different, but we are helping each other, and everyone is so positive, and we are excited for our students to come back and get back into the routine of daily learning, and we want to be here for our students and our parents. We are excited that we’re able to return August the 24th,” Tucker said.