How One High School Responded and What We Learned When COVID-19 hit in the spring of 2020, public schools everywhere did what they could to close out the school year with no students or staff present beginning officially on March 13, 2021. Little did everyone know that the challenges presented during the spring of 2020 was merely the beginning. Amelia County High School, a rural high school located in central Virginia, opened on time in the fall of 2021 with reduced instruction time for all and many students choosing to remain fully virtual. Multiple strategies, procedures, and efforts were implemented during the 2020-2021 school year. ACHS grew and learned from each attempt to support our students and staff.
Jennifer Renee Royster Ramey, Ed.D. Dr. Jennifer Ramey is the Assistant Principal at Amelia County High School, located in Amelia, Virginia, a rural central Virginia community. Prior to this position, she spent two years as Assistant Principal for Amelia County Elementary School, six years as Amelia County High School Special Education Coordinator, and five years as Amelia County High School Special Education Teacher. She enrolled in Liberty University to pursue her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, and completed the degree in the spring of 2019, earning her Education Specialist Degree along the way. She is married to her husband, David Ramey, and lives in Chesterfield, Virginia. She and Dave have four children and three grandchildren.
Overview As regulations that were mandated by our government regarding occupancy, masks, social distancing, etc., continue to loosen, we are all hopeful for a “normal” school opening in the fall of 2021. But, what is normal anymore? I am certain that I have forgotten about more than I remember. In retrospect, I would have written segments of this article as ideas and events occurred, but finding 2021 Vol. 18
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