EDUCATION

from My Jarrell Monthly • January 2022

NEW NORMAL

Teaching in a Pandemic

JISD Needs Your Help

It’s been more than two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In that time, two new school years have begun and the impact of the pandemic continues. My Jarrell Monthly reached out to JISD to learn and share some of the ways our community can help and support the needs in our schools.

A NEW NORMAL

Today, even without the double duty of online learning, teachers and staff continue to juggle supplemental roles and responsibilities unforeseen in a pre-pandemic world. All over Texas, as pandemic conditions persist, teachers, principals, and staff are greeting students in the drop-off line, filling in as crossing guards and cafeteria attendants, or even staying late to provide custodial support, in addition to daily classroom sanitizing.

IN THE CLASSROOM

While many in the district are graciously wearing multiple hats to help each other, JISD is calling for more substitutes to alleviate the burden on these pandemic heroes. Ryan Copeland teaches 2nd grade at Igo Elementary and explained, "It's hard to take off, even if I'm sick because of coverage. Unless there is an emergency or I am extremely sick and I know I can't work, I will not take time off."

Charlotte Mendoza teaches 6th and 7th grade PowerMath at Jarrell Middle School; "Our district, like many others, is short on subs and we are having to cover more often. This is no fault of administration or our school, it's just the way it is at the moment. It has always been customary, when we are short-staffed, we help each other out by covering duty, or even classes if needed. The only change this year is that we are doing this more often."

Every district needs plenty of substitutes for sick days or when compliance obligations draw teachers out of the classroom for professional learning. This is required for all teachers to maintain their certifications. Instruction takes place during the school day because it is not reasonable to schedule outside of work hours or on weekends, but it does require teachers to be outside of their classrooms.

KIDS NEED OUR HELP

One middle school teacher says "This year has been the hardest of the pandemic," explaining the fact that students haven't been in a school setting in two years is reflected in their performance academically and socially. Behavior problems, unwillingness to complete simple tasks, and a focus on social media and peers over academic accomplishment are among the biggest issues, making it "extremely hard for teachers to remain encouraged."

Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks added, "Students are learning how to socialize with one another again, stick to study schedules, and how to work through their feelings of being distanced from family and friends. This, coupled with the academic struggles of missing more than a year and a half of in-person school, creates significant challenges for staff and students."

To address some of these challenges, middle school teacher Jasmine Vasquez suggested, "Parents can help 

SUB FOR US

Serve JISD schools Meaningful and

impactful way to meet people and help students

Flexible schedule;

choose the days you'd like to work

Great variety of work and

grade levels available

us tremendously by encouraging their children; enforce reading and homework times, which can help students become more successful in school. Readers can volunteer for our PTO which helps the school, teachers, and students. Reading teachers on campus can also benefit from donated, school- and age-appropriate books for their classroom libraries."

SUBSTITUTES

"We've all heard the struggles businesses are having finding employees," Dr. Hicks said, "Jarrell ISD is no different. There is a shortage of substitutes, bus drivers, teachers, etc. If you are looking to make a positive difference in the lives of kids, we are hiring. More than ever before there is a need to provide patience, grace, and understanding to what our students and staff are encountering as a result of being isolated for over a year and a half."

Recruitment and outreach includes retired people, former teachers, or stay-at-home moms looking for opportunities to spend the day and engage meaningfully with students. The job is flexible and a great opportunity to have a positive impact.

No special qualifications are required—applicants must have a high school diploma or GED and pass a background check with fingerprints. Assignments vary and those who are called can accept or deny a job based on their needs and schedule.

Substitute teacher pay starts at $90 per day and long-term pay begins after ten days.

RESOURCES FOR YOU • OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM

 Involvement Opportunities  District Educational Improvement Cte  Social-Emotional Learning  Dads on Duty Program Contact Jarrell

Middle School, Jarrell Elementary, and Igo Elementary

 Mentor or Volunteer  ISD Counseling  Ed. Foundation  Parent Teacher

Organizations (PTO) Contact Jarrell

Middle School, Jarrell Elementary, and Igo Elementary

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

For those not able to help in the classroom, Alyssa Stephenson, 5th grade teacher at Igo Elementary said, "The community can help by donating supplies for activities or incentives, or by donating their time. Some teachers could use a volunteer to help tear out workbook pages or cut something for an activity. Maybe a volunteer could take over lunch or recess duty to allow the grade level team time to plan all together."

Igo's Ryan Copeland similarly suggested parents can "volunteer to help with small classroom things such as cutting things out, helping prepare items for classes, or providing supplies." T

KEY TAKEAWAY

Most educators agree the longer children are consistently in school, the better things will become.

Dr. Hicks summed up what many are thinking; "Our staff are true heroes in the lives of our students. They provide day-to-day support, encouragement, and knowledge to help our students achieve success. We are continuing to strengthen our professional learning communities where teachers have time during the school day to plan, discuss, and design lessons collaboratively.

With our students back in person, we thought this year would be back to a somewhat normal school year. What this year has proven is how much and how often we need to say Thank You to our staff for what they do every day—Thank you!"