Covid-19 Pandemic

The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way students learn and how teachers teach. During the early months of 2020, Petersburg City Public Schools began to close because of the spread of covid-19. While the schools closed for the remainder of the year for the students, administrators and teachers had to come up with ways to effectively teach their students. There are many challenges being faced when trying to teach students virtually online. While doing virtual learning teachers, students, and parents must learn how to make learning effective for students. The teachers must make learning engaging while doing synchronous as well as asynchronous work (Kaup, Kaup, Jain, Shivalli, & Pandey, 2020). One challenge is the lack of computer and internet connection in the home. In 2017, 14% of U.S. children between the ages 6 and 17 and household income under 50,000 lived without internet access in their home (Goldberg 2018). Not only did administrators have to worry about the internet but we had to think about children’s emotional needs and food.

After doing research and interviews, I have learned that Petersburg City Public Schools teachers, administrators and parents came together to make sure students were able to get a quality education. PCPS were able to make sure each student had everything they needed to begin learning from home. PCPS gave each student in the division a chrome book, hotspots if needed, and school supplies. The teachers were also able to make activity bags to give to each student in their class. They also made sure all students had access to free breakfast and lunch. Parents did not have to go to the school for food either. PCPS transportation drove around each neighborhood and home to give out breakfast and lunch. Parents and students are able to contact their teachers when needed. Parents were also given food stamps for each student that is enrolled in PCPS schools. PCPS made sure their students were motivated to do work hard by rewarding students with "Student of the Month". The school system was able to come together during this pandemic and educate their students. I feel Petersburg City Public Schools did a great job at putting their students, parents, and staff first.