Powhatan Today, November 4, 2020
Page 4A
Mary Brown
P
owhatan Elementary fourth-grade teacher Mary Brown asked to be assigned to full virtual to avoid risk of exposure to her mother and mother-in-law, who are both in the age range of adults at risk and have underlying health concerns. She and her husband also decided to keep their 4-year-old from going to preschool to avoid the risk. She knew the virtual route would bring challenges, but, for her, they paled in comparison to potential exposure and/or risk to their loved ones. The hardest challenge for Brown is connecting and forming relationships with her students virtually. In March, every teacher mourned all that was lost when school suddenly closed, but their relationships with students were already formed, so it was easier to maintain that closeness via online assignments, phone calls, and even some FaceTime/Zoom with families, she said. This year, virtual teachers, were well aware of that challenge and worked hard to plan activities that would help foster relationships.
Brown, one of four fourth grade virtual teachers in the division, teaches language arts (writing). When the fourth grade virtual team began to plan in August, they were persistent in planning activities that provided opportunities to know their students and to allow for interaction. “We also gave ourselves three weeks to get to know one another. We knew that if students didn’t feel seen or heard then we would not be as successful in making gains academically,� Brown said. “We, as a fourth grade team, did not meet any of our students prior to the start of the school year because we followed CDC guidelines and it was important to respect the families who chose virtual for their own personal reasons.� The teachers are developing connections with students, but they are seeing stronger connections with students who are regularly participating, she said. Brown has started adding incentives to encourage participation. For example, if a student participates daily, turns in all assignments, and follows Google Meet etiquette, she offers a show and tell on Fridays. This nine weeks there will be an added incentive
VOTER
The Office of Elections as employees and election has been burning the can- officials held 45 days of Continued from pg. 1 dle at both ends for weeks early voting, and those numbers climbed even higher last week, said Karen Alexander, director of elections. She started noticing a decided increase in voting numbers after Columbus Day, and they became even more I am so excited to be noticeable after Tuesday, chosen for my profile to Oct. 27. be published as pet of the As of the end of the fiweek. First let me introduce nal day of in-person early myself my name is Rocco and it’s believed that I am voting on Oct. 31, 7,761 a American Bulldog mix of Powhatan’s 23,159 regaround 2 years old. Not to istered voters had cast a brag on myself, but I have ballot in the drive-through the most gorgeous blue early voting line, Alexaneyes, and the softest coat. der said. When combined I get along well with other dogs, and I have visited the with the 2,217 mail-in Rocco cat room, and showed no ballots the office has reinterest in the cats. However I would still need to be ceived, 43 percent of regintroduced slowly to my new fur siblings, and I do get istered Powhatan voters overly excited, and can be a little to hyper, So I would cast their ballots before need someone willing to be patient and work with me as I learn. I am already neutered, and up to date on my Election Day. shots, and really looking forward to a home of my own. Overall, the entire earSo call my peeps at 804-598-5672 and they will be happy ly voting process went to assist you in scheduling a meet and greet. pretty well for such an If you would like to help the animals ambitious new undertakin our care, you can do so by donating to our ing, Alexander said. medical fund at Claws and Paws, “It was exorbitantly 4313 Anderson Hwy., Powhatan, VA 23139 harder than I ever expectPowhatan Sheriff’s Office | Division Of Animal Control ed it to be and exhausting Phone: 804-598-5672 | Fax: 804-598-5109 to a level I can’t describe. I believe more voters were excited about the process than those who thought it
such as Lunch Bunch (eating lunch together while NOT on mute), which will allow them all time to socialize. “This additional time together will allow students to share stories and have a more realistic classroom experience as a class. We are all super excited about this,â€? she said. Most children by nature are social beings – their stories are endless, their words are endless, and their ability to communicate knows no bound, Brown said. Addressing this in the virtual forum is tricky because they can’t talk over one another or others can’t hear. Students have gotten much better at waiting their turn and at staying muted until given permission. Building in times to socialize with one another is crucial because they do need peer socialization. Although not impossible, allowing students to work together on academics is difficult and takes creativity, she said. “One way that students interact a great deal in my class is by walking one another through an assignment or technology problem. I can’t always see a site or assignment the way that they do so it’s not could have been done better. ‌ But overall, considering we had never done this before and were dealing with a pandemic, I think it went extremely well,â€? she said. Alexander praised her staff and election officials, who have been slammed with work, sometimes under very difficult circumstances. When the polls opened for business on Thursday, Oct. 29, the line of vehicles was wrapped from the early voting tent, down Tilman Road, all the way down Skaggs Road and hitting Old Buckingham Road even before the polls opened at 9 a.m., Alexander said. Some voters told her they had been there waiting in line since 4 a.m. Heavy rains forced them to temporarily move the voting machine inside, which slowed down the process. She appreciated voters for their patience and dedication and election officials who were working in the cold and wet. Meanwhile, work began on Friday, Oct. 30 to
uncommon for a student to ask if they can ‘share the screen’ to help walk another student through something that seems tricky. That’s so encouraging to me because they are learning something far greater than academics,� she said. Class size remains a struggle for many virtual teachers. It’s hard to get to everyone, assess them academically, and to monitor progress, but they are finding new ways daily, Brown said. She has finally found an organized system on the virtual platform to interact with students to answer their questions and to ask questions that allow her to gain insight into where they may need more clarification. As a virtual teacher, Brown battles technology issues daily, but she said she has become a fantastic problem solver when it comes to finding different pathways for students to access the curriculum. Teachers and students have also learned to practice patience, understanding, and grace. Technology isn’t flawless even when in the classroom setting, she added. Encouraging movement tends to lead to more positive reactions and student partici-
start opening, verifying and counting the 2,072 mail-in ballots that had been received at that point, she said. “To put that in perspective, the last presidential election in its entirety, we only had 700 mail-in absentees,� Alexander said Wednesday. “We are going to have three times what we did in 2016, and there is no way we can complete the process with just three CAP officials on Election Night with that many ballots. It is going to take several days of running them through the machine.� The office has already been partially checking the mail-in ballots to make sure everything is correct, said Jamie Swemba, deputy registrar. Prior to Friday, the ballots were sealed inside an envelope that had to be returned inside another envelope. Election officials have been opening the outer envelopes as they were received to make sure they have all the correct information and calling voters in to make corrections if necessary.
CHURCH DIRECTORY St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
SUNDAYS Live Stream Worship!
www.stlukespowhatan.org All are Welcome For more information visit www.stlukespowhatan.org Route 711 at Three Bridge Road 794-6953
The Bridge
Genito Church Presbyterian “Building a Bridge of Hope� Isaiah 58:12 Church 2910 Genito Rd. Powhatan, VA
372-9074 Worship with us this Sunday Church service @ 9:30 AM Sunday school @ 10:30 AM
Sundays: Morning Worship 10:00 AM Wednesday: Family Life Night 7:00 PM 2480 Academy Road 598-7159 Pastor: Johnathan M. Whichard
Providence Presbyterian Church
EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHURCH (PCA) Proclaiming & Practicing the Gospel of Jesus Christ Indoor Worship Service at 10:00 AM Meeting at the Powhatan War Memorial Building at 2375 Skaggs Rd, Powhatan, VA 23139
ECCPCA.ORG
598-8844
Rev. Robert Barnes
Meeting in the gym
! " # $
Meeting Sundays in Amelia, Farmville, Fork Union, Midlothian, Powhatan and Online. Visit pccwired.net for services times & locations. 598-1174 pccwired.net
598-4970
Powhatan United Methodist Church Living As Christ’s Disciples Within Our Hearts and Beyond Our Doors 2253 Rosson Rd.
Just off Rt. 13 in the Village
598-4438
Worship: 8:30 & 11 a.m. Sunday School: 9:45 a.m.
www.powhatanumc.us Weekday Preschool (ages 2-5)
598-6090
Mount Calvary Baptist Church 2020 Red Lane Road
Powhatan, VA 23139 1801 Huguenot Trail Sunday School 9am Pastor, Larry B. Collins Sunday Worship 10am Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study 6:45pm Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study Bryan M. Holt, Pastor 7:30 p.m. 378-3607 www.EmmausChristianChurch.org Office 804-598-2398
Community Church Dr. Cavell W. Phillips, Pastor Where there is Unity, there is always Victory. A church “Where you are welcome� Wednesday: Bible Study Join Us For Sunday Worship 6:30 – 7:30pm ( 60 Minute 11:00AM – 12:30PM Warm Up To Sunday ) Powhatan Village Building 3910 Old Buckingham Road ucc4me.org Powhatan, VA 804-256-4411
“They were all minor things, but they have to be fixed,� she said. After checking to make sure all the information on the envelope was correct, election officials took the ballots out and put them in a ballot box for the correct precinct. All of the ballots for each precinct were run through together. They were also counted at several points during the process to make sure the number was correct. “We just want to make sure everybody’s vote is counted. We don’t want anybody to get left out. By the same token, we don’t want more ballots than we should have,� she said. Alexander pointed out that the results reported for Powhatan’s numbers this week will be considered unofficial until Friday, Nov. 6, when the final canvas of the electoral board is complete. If someone mailed in an absentee ballot, as long as it was postmarked by Election Day, her office will count it if it is received by noon on Nov. 6.
Advertise in Church Directory.
Powhatan Christian Fellowship Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 am Wednesday Night 7:30 p.m. Located 1950 Ridge Road (Rt. 627) 2/10th of a mile north of Rt. 13
see BROWN, pg. 8
3308 Pleasants Road, 1/4 mile off of Route 711 Russ Cress, Pastor 598-0733
St. John Neumann Catholic Church Rev. Walter G. Lewis, Pastor Saturday - 5 p.m. Sunday - 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. 598-3754 www.sjnpowhatan.org Located behind Flat Rock Village Shopping Center
Call 804-746-1235 ext. 2 for details.
