By Guest Columnist Kasey Cheshier
MISD Parent and Executive Director of Ellis County United Way
As a parent, little did we know that picking up our children before spring break would be the last time students would be in the physical school building. When districts across the state were forced to make very tough decisions to close to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (including Midlothian), district leaders and teachers began to quickly pivot their teaching methods to online learning.
What typically may have taken months for teachers to learn and implement, our local teachers and administrators met the challenge head-on and rolled out in one week. Our students’ teachers were asked to overhaul nearly every facet of their job to meet the new demands of this virtual learning environment. They never missed a beat and were eager to keep students engaged in learning.
The shift in Midlothian ISD seemed to go smoothly throughout these crazy times as the district had already embraced technology years ago with a clear vision on a learning experience that incorporates access to research and resources in and out of the classroom. The access to one-to-one devices empowered teachers to continue student interaction throughout the school building closure and provide a positive remote learning experience for students.
For parents, it’s been stressful as we’ve made this shift during this COVID-19 experience. However, we have been supported by the district and teachers at Mt. Peak Elementary. The online resources, face-to-face virtual hangouts, daily schedules and district communication have helped us continue to challenge our kids to learn in this at-home environment and provide us with tools necessary to support this process. Staying positive has also been extremely important as this learning experience is new for the kids as well. They miss their teachers, principals, support staff and friends. Keeping a level head is important during these challenging times and I’ve felt the support of the district every step of the way.
It’s also been fun to see how the MISD teachers have continued to evolve their tactics over the past few weeks and bring their own personalities and styles into the new virtual setting. From hangouts, PE times, art lessons, Seesaw, read-alongs, Kahoot and brain break activities, I continue to be inspired daily by our teachers. Likewise, the district providing grab-and-go meals to support the community and transportation department providing bus delivery throughout town is inspiring.
We’re all in this together and we have many reasons to be MISD Proud!
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