As children, parents, and teachers gear up for another new school year, almost two and a half years on from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures, staff at P.S. / M.S. 95, The Sheila Mencher Van Cortlandt School, a public school located at 3961 Hillman Avenue in Van Cortlandt Village, reflect on the experience of being plunged into remote learning over two years ago and eventually resurfacing to an in-person learning environment once more.

COVID-19 compelled our dive into unchartered waters, turbulent technology, and concerns about student learning, health and feelings. Special education teacher at the school, Katherine Aranda, said, “Teachers went from in-person learning to working behind the computer, and reported spending even longer workdays, pondering how to go from ‘hands-on’ to ‘behind the screen’ learning.”

For kindergarten teacher, Sherlyn Estevez, the focus was on ways to connect the students with what they needed to learn and involved the staff coming up with new ways to do so like making video recordings in advance of classes in order to teach subjects like science.

Indeed, aside from making sure that the students’ needs were met, the faculty had their own feelings about the social-emotional learning path, and questioned how they could reach students, without a guidebook.

Teacher, Johanna St. Louis, said even though some of the teachers had a robust technological background, it was still chaotic at first. “Then, students became familiar with the routines and in my mind, [that] became one ‘Giant Day!’”

Assistant principal, Daniella Savino, said, “It was a time to have emotions tested, but it allowed us to reflect on what students needed and how to give it to them.”

Savino added, “Going back to school was an adjustment period, because it was a restructuring of work habits, helping students to understand school expectations and their own responsibilities.”

The assistant principal continued, “We reinstituted the social emotional mood check-in, as well as social and emotional learning (SEL) classes and celebrations, supporting every student with the idea that the educators in the building can help them with their feelings.”

Savino concluded, “We believe that if the students’ emotional well-being is cared for, they can do well academically.”

Meanwhile, reading coach, Dr. Desline Brown, reiterated the Savino’s point, adding, “We care about the children.”

Some of the elementary school students at P.S. 95 also shared their memories of the whole pandemic experience and how they feel about the return to the school building.

Ebenezer Peprah said, “COVID was scary,” while Sydney Jones said, “We had to adapt to a new way of life.”

Esmeralda Garcia said, “It was kind of bothering me, because we had to be in virtual school, and just be on computers,” while Kevin Lopez said, “We had to stay home. Then, when we got back to school, we had to wear a mask.”

Emoni Shaw said, “I wanted to be in school, and I wanted to be me,” while Eduardo Tlahuice said, “I like being back in school; you can talk to the teacher more in person.”

Principal Serge Marshall Davis also felt the weight of the whole experience, saying, “It was an unprecedented shift to have the whole world shut down, but it also opened up avenues of opportunities to think in different ways, to provide assignments and activities for students to become engaged in learning, to use the technology of the digital age, and to bring to the forefront the benefits of social-emotional learning.”

Davis added, “Our leaders are both empathetic, and bring a level of cultural awareness to the educational process, and to the experience of humanity.”

Right now, the staff at P.S. / M.S. 95 feel like they are on track, and ready for what the future will bring.

Elementary school student, Kenneth Morales, perhaps summed things up best for everyone when he concluded,  “I feel like it will get better and better!”