There’s no denying that the COVID pandemic has changed nearly everything about the way we work and live. Unfortunately, it’s also had significant effects on the educational system here in Volusia County. When the pandemic first broke out, we responded strongly by sending kids home and providing online education as best as possible. When parents and experts became concerned about the long-term effects of missing out on school, we responded by bringing kids back to campus. Thankfully, since we at St. Barnabas operate in a small community, we’ve been successful at limiting the spread of Covid on our campus, and we know not all schools have been as lucky. We want to ensure that all of our students get the best education possible, even amid an unfavorable situation.
Something positive from this pandemic is schools’ ability to adapt to change. We’ve learned a lot about our skills and the benefits of operating a small school and have learned to dig deep and prioritize student education overall. Here are some of the ways we’ve seen COVID-19 change education in our area.
1. Renewed Focus On Clean Campuses
At St. Barnabas School, we’ve always been committed to having a clean and healthy campus. But, like schools worldwide, our efforts to minimize the spread of germs have increased our cleanliness tenfold. We want to ensure that students and their parents feel safe on our campus, and so we do whatever it takes to ensure that happens. We know that other schools in the district are also increasing their efforts to maintain germ-free campuses as much as possible. Student education is at the heart of what we do, and that means doing our best to keep our campus free of COVID, so they don’t have to miss out on learning opportunities. In addition to increasing cleanliness standards, Volusia County now inspects schools quarterly for cleanliness. This is an excellent tool for accountability to ensure that all students can learn in a clean and safe environment, regardless of what school they attend. At St. Barnabas, we welcome all questions that you have about our cleaning strategies and the steps we are taking to keep our campus safe.
2. Schools Supporting Students And Teachers
The rules regarding masks have ebbed and flowed over the last couple of years based upon new information and public opinion. We do our best to comply with what is required of us, and no matter what, students and staff at Saint Barnabas school will always have access to masks and hand sanitizer as needed. We know that each family has its stance on this subject, and we do our best to support each family’s needs.
3. Students Keeping Up-to-Date While Quarantining
One of the most important things that have come out of the pandemic is each school’s ability to work with students when they are forced home to quarantine with COVID. In the past, long before the pandemic began, if a student was forced home due to an injury or illness, it would be more difficult for them to stay on task with her class. As a result of the pandemic, our teachers have learned to adapt and respond to students’ needs, which has been a great benefit to our community. Now, when a student is out for a week or two with COVID, they have access to learning materials so that they can come back and slip right back into the classroom setting without feeling weeks behind.
4. Increased Flexibility Overall
If we’ve learned anything since the spring of 2020, it’s the importance of being flexible. The pandemic and life itself are known to throw us for a loop from time to time. The staff at St. Barnabas School and those at schools all over Volusia County have learned to be flexible and have worked harder over the past couple of years than ever before. But it’s not just the staff and teachers who have learned to pivot when necessary. Students and their families have also developed this important albeit stressful skill. We hesitate to say that anything good could come out of a situation that’s taken so many lives, but if we were to name one thing, it would be how it has changed our community for the better. This experience has made each of us more resilient, and we are excited to continue to watch this community grow.
If it were up to us, the COVID pandemic would’ve ended a long time ago. But as much as we all hate to admit it, the only control we have is over ourselves and our families and how we react and interact during tough times. We want to take a moment to thank our community for stepping up in such a big way over the last two years. Without the dedicated teachers, staff, and families, we wouldn’t have continued providing excellent education to the students in our community. The children who attend our school and all of the other schools in Volusia County deserve the very best education, and we are honored to have been able to provide it.
If you are not satisfied with the educational experience your children are having today, we hope you will consider joining the St. Barnabas community. Contact our office when you’re ready to learn more.
