Mandy

41

06/16/2020

Halfmoon, New York

I am an Elementary Classroom Aide in a local public school district. Our last day of in-person on-site learning was Friday, March 13, 2020. In May, employees returned to pack-up student belongings and close-down classrooms. Returning, it was as if time had stood still. St, Patrick's Day Decorations were on doors, calendars were unchanged, school work and art work hung on walls, homework was in bins. Each student's desk was emptied. Everything was moved from inside to the top. Textbooks were piled. Library books were collected. Personal belongings were packed-up - composition notebooks, pencil boxes, headphones. Traditional End-of-the-Year items were sent home early - Summer reading books, art projects, recorders from music, class photos. Everything representing a school year fit into one clear garbage bag. So sad. On the last day of school, everyone lines the bus port to wave as buses pull away honking and students scream. The start of Summer. This year, everyone lined the bus port, but, wearing face masks and socially distanced apart. Families were invited to drive the bus port in their own cars to wave. Posters, balloons, noise makers, clappers were brought to make it special. The joy was there, just different.

Mandy

Southern Adirondack Library System

English

Covid History

11736066696