Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1349911
Now, sadly, after a year has gone by, those sentiments are beginning to change. I regularly hear about "learning loss," and I say STOP! That is an insult to the very people praised and celebrated just one year ago for all the learning opportunities they provided, and are continuing to provide, to their students (see page 7). This pandemic has taught us many lessons. It has taught me that learning comes in many forms: It can be in a traditional classroom setting. Or, it can come from a creative blended online and in-person format in which the curriculum shares the spotlight with teaching students—and education employees—about technology troubleshooting, flexibility, and adaptability. I would also like to believe that it has taught us that not everything our students learn can be measured on a standardized assessment. Students are learning, and as a society, we should celebrate the work that teachers and school employees continue to do every day. Focusing on silver linings has helped me, personally, to stay in a positive, hopeful frame of mind through this pandemic. I'm hopeful that the pandemic will have laid bare the fact that now is the time when communities come together to focus on what is best for educ ation and for every student in Wyoming. State legislators, school board members, district and building administration, as well as every education employee should be working together, closer than ever, to determine what will most benefit our students. Let me close by expressing my sincere gratitude and appreciation for teachers and every education employee for continuing to provide every student with learni ng opportunities during this past year and during this pandemic. Your fortitude is a testament to your dedication to your students and profession, and it's an inspiration to me and the many lives you touch every day. F R O M T H E D E S K O F P R E S I D E N T H U T C H E R S O N Grady Hutcherson President, WEA ghutcherson@wyoea.org (307) 532-1731 Sincerely, Impossible! It is nearly impossible for me to believe that as I write this, one full year has passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has so heavily impacted Wyoming schools, students, and education employees. I was teaching second grade and looking forward to a much-needed four-day weekend scheduled in my district. That was March 13, 2020, the last day I would be in a classroom with m y students. Wyoming schools were closed, but let me tell you firsthand, this did not mean that learning stopped. School buildings may have been closed, but teachers and every school employee immediately sprang into action and tirelessly rose to the challenges. Students have been, are, and always will be the priority of every employee in a school. Teachers immediately began trying to figure out how to hel p every single student even though there were no more in-person learning opportunities. Education Support Professionals all stepped up to help students in any way they could. I am PROUD of every single education employee and how quickly they responded and worked to accommodate their students. They provided support, assistance, meals, and everything else that could be thought of or needed. Most importantly , we all provided learning opportunities for our students, even as the pandemic disrupted everyone's lives. Immediately, the vital and important role that schools play in our society and in every community throughout Wyoming became evident. Communities were grateful and celebrating the dedication, passion, and commitment of classroom teachers and school employees. Those celebrations helped me, and I was a ppreciative that teachers and school employees were being celebrated. It made me grateful and proud of my profession. 4