Lubbock High School in Lubbock ISD (Photo by Barrett Bergez)
Across the nation and around the world, people of all walks of life have struggled with the same question of how to operate and live in a global pandemic.
For Lubbock ISD, one of the primary concerns was the mental health of students after transitioning to a virtual learning environment.
Misty Rieber, the assistant superintendent of curriculum in Lubbock ISD, said there has been a huge concern about mental and social health of their students.
“Students thrive in interaction with one another,” Rieber said, “and the opportunity to be together and not only learn from each other but just connect.”
Rieber said when the pandemic began in March of 2020 Lubbock ISD was in emergency mode working to ensure all of their students would be able to transition to an online learning platform.
“We spent all of spring break setting up expectations,” Rieber said, “getting our communication plan in place and being ready so that last spring we could have remote learning online for all students.”
Colton Beden, father of four young children, said as someone who works from home frequently, having his kids home all day every day was challenging because it meant he was not able to get as much work completed.
“We honestly kind of made it through by just creating as much of a schedule and a system as we could,” Beden said. “I feel like little kids really kind of thrive when you give them really clear boundaries.”
Katherine Cohn, a school psychology doctoral candidate, said there are many important lessons students get from a face-to-face format including social skills and learning how to build friendships, which goes beyond the curriculum taught in classrooms.
Cohn said the clinic she works in has seen a major uptake in referrals for all kinds of mental health problems such as depression and OCD.
Cohn said she believes a lot of the mental health issues stem from people having to stay home all the time, not seeing their friends, or being able to talk with people outside of their household. Cohn also thinks a big part is that people are not outside as much as they used to be.
“Not ever seeing daylight is a huge problem, it messes with kid’s circadian rhythms,” Cohn said. “We’ve seen a lot of kids that are having really bad sleep dysregulation by not getting any physical activity.”
Cohn said another problem that has arisen with virtual learning is there is much more stress centered on school and grades than before because kids are struggling to keep up academically.
Cohn said it is hard for kids who are now supposed to be self motivated to complete assignments and stay focused on classwork.
Beden said it has helped his kids to be back in school where they get to see their friends and teachers and have enthusiasm to learn.
Since going back in person, Rieber said Lubbock ISD set up protocols to keep their students and faculty safe–wearing masks and social distancing being the most important.
Misty Rieber (photo via Facebook)
“We wear masks, all adults and then students in the fourth grade and up are required as part of the state mandate,” Rieber said, “but we highly encourage our younger students to do that as well.”
Rieber said in the classrooms the desks have been spread out to accommodate social distancing. For their lunchtime routine, students are staggered with different times and seating arrangements.
Beden said the adaptability of his kid’s teachers has made the whole process of going in person much easier for him and his wife. Beden said the teachers had made themselves more available to any parents who wanted to come meet them and set up times for each parents to keep with distancing guidelines.
“The resiliency of teachers in all of this is phenomenal,” Rieber said, “they have born the brunt of the work and they have adapted and changed and done it again.”
For the latest news on COVID-19 statewide policies in public schools, visit the Texas Education Agency’s website.
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