School as a Community
Covid has changed all of us. At our religious school it first forced us online to remote Jewish learning whether we were ready or not to make that adjustment. As the pandemic progressed, this year we return to in person learning, yet we have still have had to adapt and change as public health officials mandated. We were together, but we didn’t have a snack so we could remain masked. We went remote when cases surged. We came back together double masking because that’s what we were instructed to do. And now as mask mandates are being lifted, we have experienced a Covid outbreak and had to shut down, temporarily, once again.
People are tired. One email I received from a parent expressed the sincere hope that we would remain open because of its importance to children’s mental health. It is so true that our children are suffering the brunt of these changes.
Yet, what gives me hope is who we are through it.
As staff, parents, and children have fallen sick in in these past weeks, we have been here for each other. We’ve made calls and sent texts to check in and share information. We’ve made offers to help one another be it covering an assembly or picking up groceries. Leadership has stepped up to hold space to keep people safe and provide time for healing of those that are sick.
This kindness and care for one another is representative of not only who we are but who we are becoming through COVID. And it in, we find joy and connection.
Two weeks ago, just as we were beginning to thaw from winter, the sun came out in time for school and students were allowed to return outside to play GaGa at break in our still-slightly-muddy back yard. For 15 glorious minutes children ran, played, cheered together.
In these moments during and between the storms, our ability to come together and show up for each other is what makes us a community. For that I am deeply grateful, and above all else, and am so appreciative that despite all the pandemic is putting us through, that this connection, support and joy is what we are teaching our children.
