“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson
The people of Saskatchewan, and indeed around the world, are finding ways to look out for others and keep their spirits up through the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to all those within health care for their diligent work and dedication to this emergency issue. Thank you also to those doing their part to follow the restrictions implemented by our health officials and our government to reduce the spread of infection and save lives.
Easter is this coming weekend, when Christians will observe the most important day in their faith, the Resurrection of Jesus. The suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith, and at its core is the timely message that life and hope follow suffering and death. We can share this hope in action as we hear over and over again, “we’ll get through this together.”
Easter celebrations will be very different as churches and families comply with restrictions on physically gathering together. People and faith communities are finding creative ways to feed their faith, whether it is religious programming on television, livestreamed services, or online reflections. Churches are keeping in touch with members through various social media channels and direct phone calls. Some churches are ringing their bells to provide encouragement and invite people to pray.
Our education system is also implementing different and creative ways for students to continue learning. What I’ve heard about the educational opportunities being provided is very encouraging. Following a “pause week”, staff were remotely connecting with students and families.
In Holy Trinity School Division, virtual meeting calls took place between teachers as they planned together, and they were excited to reconnect with students and families. Their Distance Learning Plan will allow teachers to offer supplementary learning opportunities to their students. For those families who don’t have a device for distance learning, Holy Trinity School Division is offering a limited number of division-owned devices that can be borrowed by students.
Prairie South School Division has acquired online software to assist teaching students at home. For those who may not have the appropriate electronic requirements, other forms of communication are being discussed. While there are challenges, staff are focused on working through them with a positive attitude.
High school students have the option of supplemental learning in most subjects. They can choose to take the mark they were assessed in a course as of March 13, or they can take advantage of the supplemental learning, and will receive whichever mark is greater; the mark as of March 13th, or the supplemental learning mark. As was announced when classes were suspended, all students will move on the next grade or will graduate if eligible, regardless of their marks on March 13th.
Thank you to our educators, students, families, businesses, and community organizations as well as those volunteers who are making efforts to minimize the disruptions and impacts of the pandemic.
Have a blessed Easter as we all look to the power of hope and prayer, and the power of working together.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
