I think we can all agree that 2021 has been a school year like no other – and I imagine that students and teachers would rather forget much of the last year. So, as Leland & Gray gets ready to recognize the class of 2021 and break for the summer, I thought it would be fun to ask some of the staff and students to share a few “bright spots” from this past year. Here is a summary of their responses.
Across the board for students and staff, the biggest bright spot was returning to (partial) in-person learning. After being delayed until February 2021, Leland & Gray was one of the last schools in the state to transition back from all-virtual learning. So, for students, seeing each other in person again was hands-down the top bright spot. But they also admitted to enjoying seeing their teachers again, and having more interactive classwork back on the schedule. All of the staff polled reported the joy of having students physically back in the building as their top bright spot.
Both students and staff mentioned the addition of new recreation equipment as one of their bright spots. Over the past few months, Leland & Grey has added a new high ropes course, a fleet of mountain bikes, and heart rate monitors for every student. As Tammy Claussen noted “All three of these initiatives are such incredible opportunities to help our students to participate in healthy risk-taking activities that benefit their overall health and wellbeing!” After years on the wish list, Leland & Grey was finally able to make the ropes course a reality. In addition to being fun, ropes courses help develop leadership skills, cooperation and community, suggesting that this is going to be a school bright spot for years to come! In fact, there was so much buzz about the course that local news ran stories about it.
Student accomplishments shared by staff, while too numerous to mention here, shine a bright light on the resilience and dedication of both students and staff! It was truly inspiring to read about what students had achieved this year – despite the challenges of a pandemic. It was also evident that simply getting back to some kind of routine was enough to brighten up a rather stormy school year.
My biggest take away from this quest for bright spots is that the brightest light shines on the school itself – a true beacon of resilience and strength in our community!
–
Meg Gonzalez