Opening School During a Pandemic By Helen Cohen, FJECC Preschool Director
Preparing to reopen a school amid a pandemic was no easy feat. Summer offered little respite with the presence of COVID-19. Our time was devoted to learning about, developing, and applying the continuously changing health and safety protocols to keep our students and staff safe. Getting ready to open our doors in this new reality created a need to hire new staff, purchase new equipment, and furnish new spaces—all while maintaining our dedication to providing the highest quality education for our students and developing robust curriculum content. Our staff had to swing into motion overnight to transition from a traditional learning model to providing school on the Internet. “Zoom” was a term we previously associated with comic books, and “Marco Polo” with history lessons. Nevertheless, with a fervent determination to succeed, the FJECC team quickly adjusted to teaching in unprecedented ways.
community that sets our school apart from others, and one which we were happy to prolong for our families who were not quite ready to leave the environment FJECC provides. We are delighted to have been able to incorporate a new kindergarten class into our program this year. Innovation has always been one of FJECC’s goals. As a result, we responded affirmatively to the families who requested the adaptation of this program. Through the hard work of our dedicated staff, we were able to make this new venture a reality—providing an extraordinary teaching and learning opportunity for the 10 students we accepted. How fortunate for them to have two experienced educators teaching and guiding them in a small intimate class with their peers and a setting familiar to both them and their families.
Creating an environment where children are expected to wear masks and social distance, where materials and surfaces have to be sanitized multiple times throughout the day, and where numerous stringent policies had to be enforced takes both creativity and fortitude.
On September 8th, FJECC welcomed students back for in-person learning. After being at home for such a long period, the children craved the intellectual stimulation, structure, and social interaction our setting provides. We daily witness joyful, energetic, and thoroughly engaged children in the playful learning process implemented at our school.
During this time of uncertainty, many families of our FJECC graduates expressed a strong interest in extending their child’s educational experience at FJECC. Over the years, our school has become synonymous not only with an outstanding educational program but also with providing a warm and caring community where parents serve as our partners in so many capacities. It is this feeling of
Despite the new reality in which we are all living, FJECC is very grateful to have been able to welcome back so many students eager and ready to learn. I extend heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the many individuals who have worked closely with our staff, and especially to the members of our Board for their dedication, support, and selfless sacrifice throughout this endeavor.
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Living Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.
