Chrisman Teachers, Staff Receive Covid Vaccinations
By Autumn Garrett March 26, 2021
After a year of Covid-19, with its restrictions and challenges, vaccinations finally arrived in the ISD amid hopes it will provide a sizable step towards gaining normalcy in the classroom again. As the push to sustain safety for both the staff and students continues, the majority of Chrisman’s teachers got the Covid vaccination on Friday, March 19.
Missouri’s governor opened vaccinations to all teachers starting March 15. Many feel the vaccination is a risk worth taking to help keep others safe.
“I feel like the vaccine helps me to protect my students and the rest of the staff at Chrisman. It is just like wearing a mask. I am doing my part to protect my community,” said English teacher, Jordan Plowman.
Missouri’s governor opened vaccinations to all teachers starting March 15. Many feel the vaccination is a risk worth taking to help keep others safe.
“I feel like the vaccine helps me to protect my students and the rest of the staff at Chrisman. It is just like wearing a mask. I am doing my part to protect my community,” said English teacher, Jordan Plowman.
Along with wanting to gain normalcy and safety, though, this school year has already proven time and again that it is not like any other at Chrisman. The hybrid schedule utilized for much of the year leading some to feeling behind in terms of content covered. That, coupled with snow days, has left many in a rush to catch up, and this vaccination day took away yet another essential school day from both educators and students.
“Losing another day of instruction is obviously not ideal,” said English teacher, Bryan Haynes, “but if there is one thing that students and teachers alike have learned this year, it is the importance of adaptability. With all the challenges we've had to adapt to this year, I'm confident we will manage this one just fine.” The 19th was originally scheduled as a makeup day, but instead was modified to become a teacher workday so that the district could host a vaccination clinic at Bingham Middle School for all employees. Despite the school day disappearing from our schedule, many hope that this vaccination will make a vital impact “For me to be at my best as an educator, I need to be in the classroom with my students, not laying at home in bed. Been there, done that. Wasn't fun, wasn't successful. Me getting this vaccine is not just for me...it's for family, my colleagues, and my students,” said social studies teacher, Flip Courter. |
Only time will tell if the vaccination will provide the opportunity to help bring this challenging school year to a positive conclusion. Everyone - teachers, students and staff - hopes this is a turning point in the chaos that is Covid.
“I personally think that this year has been so stressful on all involved (teachers and students) that we ought to put it to rest as soon as possible,” said drafting, engineering & math instructor, Verne Leutzinger. “This [is] not a normal year and treating like a normal year is not doing anyone any good. We should not be in denial that this year will leave a mark on education and we need to reflect on it as different.”
“I personally think that this year has been so stressful on all involved (teachers and students) that we ought to put it to rest as soon as possible,” said drafting, engineering & math instructor, Verne Leutzinger. “This [is] not a normal year and treating like a normal year is not doing anyone any good. We should not be in denial that this year will leave a mark on education and we need to reflect on it as different.”