Teachers stressed and hopeful as learning amid a pandemic continues
and last updated 2021-02-08 12:48:28-05
Nearly a year into the pandemic teachers across the country are tired and stressed out, but at the same time, theyâre hopeful for the future, as one of the most challenging years in education continues to play out from coast-to-coast.
At Algonquin Regional High School in Northboro, Massachusetts, lifelong educators Jane Betar and Tom Alera can both be seen between class periods spraying down desks with sanitizer. They are doing whatever they can to keep themselves and their students safe from COVID-19. Five months into the school year, their students know the routine: masks up during class, desks stay 6 feet apart and the windows stay open to help with the airflow.
Liam Gambon
@GambonLiam
Even while competing during a pandemic, the Algonquin gymnastics team is smiling every time they enter the gym.
The reason? Junior Mia Gorman.
“Mia’s hilarious. If you could hear the stuff she’s saying, I have to tell her I can’t be near her or I won’t stop laughing,” said Algonquin gymnastics coach Jordan McStay following the Tomahawks 138.05-122.8 victory over Westborough. “She brings a good vibe to the gym even at practice.”
“Mia is amazing, I adore her. She’s been my best friend since kindergarten, I’ve spent my entire life in the gym with her,” junior captain Lizzy Debroczy said. “She’s always kept me going with how upbeat she is and making jokes that you can’t help but laugh at.”
School districts face many questions when it comes to figuring out what makes the most sense for testing students and staff for COVID-19. What test is best? Is there enough money in the budget to pay for it?
Many districts are considering what s called COVID-19 pool testing, now that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is offering a free, six-week pilot program.
Pool testing is batching samples for testing in a lab. It saves money because pooling the samples together is cheaper than testing each sample individually. However, if a batch returns a positive result, then each sample must be tested individually, driving up costs.