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How We Supported Our Teachers and Staff - What did the 2020-2021 school year look like?

9/1/2021

26 Comments

 
Picture
Despite the challenge of a global pandemic, teachers like Mrs. Neeb at Our Lady of Hope, ensured that our students safely continued to learn throughout this year.
We wish there was a way to capture the facial expressions of teachers, staff, parents, and children when asked, “What was school like this year?” For nearly all, that reaction looks like an exhale ridding their body of tension, stress, and being alone.

Yet, in the exact same breath, a moment of pause reflected a sense of accomplishment, of joy, and of hope. Hope that has turned into certainty. The certainty that will lend us to a better, brighter future.

It comes as no surprise that teachers’ job descriptions have shifted the most throughout this past year of coronavirus. These professionals have faced enormous challenges in how they perform their duties and manage their jobs during this pandemic.
 
Our classrooms, transformed from desks and work tables, to stacks of books on stools and kitchen table, with fifteen faces looking back at you in the classroom, to fifteen glowing boxes on a single computer screen. We never could have imagined we would be exchanging our workbooks and glue sticks, for conference calls with children and purchasing rolls of stamps with daily visits to the post office.
 
What didn’t shift across these past few years? Standards.
 
“I am exhausted every day, but our kids are excelling,” Shelly Henn, teacher and new principal for Holy Cross reiterates.
 
Teachers were tasked with teaching every subject differently, and in many instances, to students in person and at home simultaneously, with expectations to do so effectively. “The simplest tasks become difficult over Zoom, like teaching how to hold a pencil properly,” says Kerri Ysals, Our Lady of Hope teacher.
 
“The impacts of COVID were felt by everyone,” Holy Cross parent Geoff Henngeler explains. “Teachers were unprepared, students were unprepared, and parents were unprepared. Holy Cross went above and beyond to allocate resources to families and teachers who needed support services.”
 
Lillian Klein, office manager for both Our Lady of Hope and Holy Cross, provides an example, “Before the pandemic, the only internet device a family had were smartphones, and only the parents had them. Those phones left the home as parents went to work. We quickly recognized the importance of getting technology to our families at home and made it a priority.”
 
Our faculty and staff enacted a one-to-one ratio, matching each student with what they needed technologically for virtual learning. Together, we secured Chromebooks and partnered with Spectrum to ensure that everyone enrolled had essential access to the internet.
 
Our student population was not where the problems stopped. During an Advisory Council meeting, a member recounted seeing a teacher give an online presentation with a cracked computer screen. “Our teachers needed resources just as much as our families,” stated this council member.
 
With technology needs being graciously met, finding partners to feed our students and their families, navigating new ways to keep our student body healthy and safe, have been triumphs for both schools and our teams.
 
In speaking with our students, they continue to be exuberant about how much they love and appreciate their teachers. It is evident and felt in each and every classroom as you poke your head in to say 'hello.'
 
This year has been incredibly hard on so many and it's important to acknowledge, that despite each setback, bad day, or sleepless night our Bright Futures Fund teachers, faculty, staff, and teams at Holy Cross and Our Lady of Hope, along with all teachers everywhere, have gone above and beyond for our students and tomorrow's leaders. In a year, with the potential to be heavy and dark - we have continued to Shine Brightly.

By Kendra O'Sullivan
​​How you can help!
You can insure that our students continue to have access to an incredible education. Click below to see some of the incredible changes that will be coming to our students and our schools through the SHINE Brightly Capital Campaign.
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6/24/2022 09:52:47 pm

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1/12/2023 07:51:15 am

Covid time was very difficult for everyone teachers, students & parents. I really appreciate how you guys supported them.

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12/15/2023 01:28:27 am

I have immense respect and gratitude for the teachers and staff, particularly Mrs. Neeb, who played a pivotal role in ensuring that students continued to receive an education during the tumultuous 2020-2021 school year. The description of the reactions of everyone involved paints a vivid picture of the challenges and triumphs of that time.

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8/27/2024 04:47:36 am

Thank you for highlighting the incredible dedication and resilience of teachers and staff during such a challenging school year. It’s inspiring to see how educators have navigated these unprecedented times to ensure students continue to thrive. Their commitment truly shines brightly!

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4/26/2025 05:48:30 pm

Thank you for this heartfelt and powerful reflection on an extraordinary school year. The unwavering dedication shown by teachers, staff, and families at Our Lady of Hope and Holy Cross is both humbling and inspiring. Amid immense challenges, your collective efforts ensured that students continued to learn, grow, and feel supported in both academic and emotional ways. From bridging the digital divide to redefining classrooms, your resilience and adaptability have been nothing short of remarkable. It is clear that the commitment to high standards and compassion has not only sustained education through a crisis but has laid a strong foundation for a brighter future.

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Bright Futures Fund
PO Box 419037
​Kansas City, MO 64141
816.756.1850
Bright Futures Fund is a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation. 
Donations made to the Bright Futures Fund are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Copyright 2025 | Bright Futures Fund
  • Bright Futures Schools
    • Holy Cross School
    • Our Lady of Hope School
    • Our Lady's Montessori School
  • Events
    • Past Events >
      • 2024 School Bell Breakfast
      • 2024 Bishop Johnston's Golf Classic
      • 2025 School Bell Breakfast
  • Donate
  • MOScholars Program
    • RESERVE TAX CREDITS
    • MOScholars Scholarships
    • Kansas City-St. Joseph
    • Springfield-Cape Girardeau
    • Parish Resources
  • Contact Us