It’s no secret that since the beginning of March 2020, schools across the country have had to learn as they go when it comes to virtual learning. Many new procedures and protocols have had to be adopted in order to keep students and teachers safe during the pandemic. Schools in Newton County have also had to traverse down this unknown path.
Superintendent Tyler Hansford said that he is proud of the way staff and students have reacted in this situation. “I’m very pleased with how the students and staff handled all of the changes.”
Hansford attributes some of the success students and teachers have had while having to navigate learning/teaching virtually to the Chromebooks and wifi access points the district has been able to provide.
Union students returned to school from on Jan. 12 and will be back on a normal schedule as of now.
With having to go to full-time virtual learning only once during the first semester, Hansford is hopeful that students will be able to finish out the school year without having to return to virtual learning.
However, if they needed to go back to dedicating some school days to virtual learning days, Hansford said that Union schools are much more prepared for virtual learning compared to March 2020.
“We could go to virtual learning at the drop of a hat if we needed to,” Hansford said.
When it came to extracurricular activities, Union was able to proceed with their basketball season. Hansford said, “We have blessed that we haven’t had to quarantine the whole basketball team; only a couple of them had to be quarantined.”
Hansford is hopeful that the band students will be able to have their marching season this spring. “These kids work really hard and deserve to be able to have a marching season,” Hansford said. “We figured out how to have a football season, so I think it’s possible to have the marching season.”
Newton County Superintendent J. O. Amis has been very pleased with the way teachers and students have been dealing with this unfamiliar situation.
“We had a really good first semester. All of our students and staff did a great job with everything they had to deal with,” Amis said.
Newton County School students also returned from winter break on Jan. 12.
Amis said that they are planning on maintaining a normal schedule throughout the remainder of the school year.
“We know how important it is for students to be in the classroom,” Amis said. “But, if we have to go back to students learning virtually, we’re prepared.”
Amis also said that Newton County will move forward with their spring sports if nothing else changes.
The Newton Municipal School District has the same mindset when it comes to their spring sports.
According to Superintendent Dr. Glenda Nickson, Newton students will be able to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities. However, they will be following the guidance from the CDC, MDH and the MHSAA and will “modify or cancel activities at any time for the safety and well-being of our students, staff and the community.”
Nickson said that, when it comes to maintaining a normal schedule and not having to go back to learning virtually, that students will be provided with as many traditional learning opportunities as possible.
She went on to say, “However, we continue to prepare for the changes that may occur during the pandemic.”
Like Amis and Hansford, Nickson is pleased with the way Newton students and teachers have conducted themselves during this time.
“Our students and teachers have gone above and beyond when it came to the various changes made due to the pandemic,” Nickson said. “They are eager, resilient and continue to embrace new learning opportunities daily.”
Even with all of the drastic changes that COVID-19 has required, students and teachers in Newton County pushed through the fall semester and are hoping for more success during this new semester.
