As I began writing this update…. #30….. I reflected on our journey over the past 30+ days. I have had numerous conversations and interviews during this “covid situation”, but I was inspired to think about heroes in a recent conversation with John Lee from the Pampa News. Here is what I shared with John…..
I think that the Coronavirus has provided us with the opportunity to reimagine what a hero is and what heroes mean to each of us. By definition, a hero is “a person (real or fictional character) who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength.”
There are so many real people in our daily lives who, by definition, are heroes. Immediately, our minds think of the first responders and health care workers. Now, we have added so many more groups of people to the list of “everyday heroes”. Grocery store stockers, checkers, cashiers, truck drivers, and more. Locally, the heroes that I have the honor of working with include our teachers, principals, counselors, cafeteria workers, para-professionals, and parents and students as well. The parents and guardians have truly partnered with us and have provided support for their children to learn at home ----for most-- all the while working a full-time job. The students have jumped in, fearless, and reinvented themselves as learners, and for many—they are also helping younger siblings keep their learning going as well. For every one of these people--- their job descriptions changed overnight and the expectations set upon them required them to combat this adversity by being ingenious, courageous, and strong---just like the Heroes in the stories and movies we all love.
Our staff, in only a matter of hours and days, transformed how we do every single thing we do –literally. We have distributed over 2000 devices and free Wi-Fi so students would have the tools they needed to be successful. We have provided more than 15,000 meals to students in Pampa. We have had more than ½ million engagements on our digital learning platforms, not to mention the thousands of phone calls and emails our staff have answered over the past 4 weeks. Our custodians and maintenance departments have moved technology, sanitized our facilities; and, our transportation drivers have been on the front lines as well moving food and supplies to various distribution locations all over the city.
To say that I appreciate ALL of these people is just not enough. I am so grateful and thankful for their herculean efforts and will forever call them—Heroes.
Thank you, Pampa for being such a supporting and strong community full of my heroes!
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Dr. Tanya Larkin, Superintendent
Published on 04/23/2020
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