Elementary Schools

January 2021 rustlernews.com ElEmEntary staff and 08 studEnts EmPraCE ChangEs

PrinCiPal rEflECts on diffErEnCEs

by Marissa McMickle, staff writer The coronavirus has taken a toll on all of us in many different ways. Principal Luke Diekhans shares what precautions had to be taken for Riverview Elementary School to open back up. “We had to modify a lot of procedures,” he said. “How kids come in and out of the building, how kids are going to and from recess, where Q&a; lydia ComstoCK, gradE 6 Q: What has been the hardest part of everything? A: “Probably not being able to see the other class, just becasue some of my freinds are in that class and it’s not as fun to spend they can be at during recess. The lunchroom is the rest of 6th grade year without them.” another one where everyone has assigned seats Q: How have you adapted? and are spaced out as well.” A: “Since we aren’t allowed to move our desks, my friends and I have Diekhans stated how lucky Riverview is to be come up with a hand language to talk to each other.” a loop, so they can have a one way flow of traffic Q: What has this year looked like compared to the previous years?to minimize face-to-face contact. “They can go on the playground. The big thing with that is it’s like going to a PE class or A: “It’s definitely been very different because we haven’t been able to see the other class. I think it’s for the best.” something. You would have to gel in and gel out all the time, so when they leave their classroom to go out to recess, they would have to gel out and after they are finished they have to gel back in,” he said. Diekhans is considering keeping some changes to the school. “One of the pieces that has really worked well is not having people just walking into the building. We have them stop outside. It’s just a safety precaution as well that we are looking at in the future,” Diekhans said. small strugglEs in KindErgartEn by Marissa McMickle, staff writer Kindergarten teaches kids life skills such as problem solving, study skills, and sharing. For kindergarten teacher Kristal Thunstrom, those skills are harder to teach this year than ever before. “I used to have tables so the students could work in groups 5-year-old level,” she said. “I think the hardest part was when we had one out and then I had a class of only seven, it quarantined that many kids. With the few I had that were either out sick or had tested positive.” Thunstrom said because of the and, with it being kindergarten, shut down before school ended last practice sharing crayons, pencils, year, they had more time to plan scissors, and things. Now they for a not-so-normal school year have desks with the materials they this year, and it wasn’t rushed. do not share,” Thunstrom said. “The biggest challenge for Most of the students know me is the fear, and it’s not even what’s going on because their so much for me, it’s for my kids, parents talk about it. Thunstrom it’s for their families, it’s for our said there are more comments community. My main fear is with that there are questions. the holidays. Once the holidays “I haven’t had a lot of are done, I’ll feel a little bit better questions, but most of them I about it, Thunstrom explained. feel like know, their parents or “I feel sad for the kids who are someone else has already kind of going to be quarantined over the Like all schools, Riverview Elementary has made several addressed it with them and they holidays and not be able to spend changes due to the pandemic. Photos by Marissa McMickle. seem like they pretty much are it with people they usually do.” aware of what is happening at a