Teachers send reminders to their students

Friday, April 17, 2020
Winfield Scott student Oliver Vail stands on his front porch. A sign he received from the school as part of an effort to recognize students is posted in his yard.
Submitted photo

In a world where the traditional way of learning has changed, sometimes students need a boost of encouragement.

In March, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closing of school buildings across Kansas and the country. School districts went to work organizing and implementing Continuous Learning Plans tailored to meet each district’s needs. The plans combine a variety of methods for at-home learning for the rest of the school year.

At Winfield Scott School, a kindergarten-through-second grade elementary school, staff have placed signs in the yards of the students’ homes as a way to remind the young students “that we love and miss them,” Winfield Scott Principal Joy McGhee said.

The signs display the words, “Winfield Scott is SO proud of me!”

“We are nominating kids who are working hard at home,” McGhee said. “Kids we know need reminded that we love and miss them. Kids who need something positive.”

McGhee said one of her teachers shared the idea for the signs on social media last year.

“Once our learning shifted to home-based this year, I remembered this idea and thought now was the time to implement it,” McGhee said.

McGhee said any staff member at the school, including teachers, paraprofessionals and office staff, can nominate a student for a yard sign.

“We are nominating students for a variety of reasons; working hard from home, engaging with us on social media, attending class Zoom meet-ups, students we know need to be reminded that we miss and love them, students who we can always count on to be kind and show our character words,” she said.

McGhee said staff plan to move the signs each week and recognize “as many students as we can.” She said the effort started Tuesday and 30 signs were to be placed around Fort Scott this week.

“Sadly, we won’t be able to recognize every student at Winfield Scott,” she said. “But we plan to move all 30 signs every week and recognize as many students as we can before school is out.”