When the pandemic struck us, our school Isabela School of Arts and Trades-Main, along with others, has been closed for two years on catering full face-to-face classes as the pandemic put everyone at risk. However, as we heal from this health crisis, we started face-to-face classes this school year 2022-2023 on August 22.
As the era of standards-based reform and accountability changes, my leadership as a school head desires to focus with great clarity on what is essential, what needs to be done, and how to get it done. As a leader, I have initiated an innovation that will empower teachers and aid students’ academic gaps to spike a cooperative spirit, safety, and other foundations of fruitful interaction. I have also cultivated leadership in others so that teachers and other stakeholders assume their part in realizing the school’s vision.
As we embrace that change is the only permanent thing in this world, we have set everything that is needed for this transition. A couple of weeks before the opening, we have scheduled activities to prepare our classrooms, and our other facilities to make sure that we still adhere to the health protocols that we have been usually implementing since we started the Limited Face-to-Face classes last year.
Our teachers have also set time to prepare the learning materials needed like the books and modules that we have used during the full distance learning. They were also capacitated through LAC sessions to enable them to teach at their best in the usual way and for students to learn to their utmost. The school’s nooks, parks and gymnasium were also prepared to be utilized once again by our learners. The physical of our school has been initially revived and improved during the last’s year Brigada Eskwela which is why it was not a hard time for us to finally open the academe for the learners this year. Inspections of classrooms and other facilities were also made to ensure a safe and conducive learning place. Teachers, non-teaching staff, and other school personnel were advised to get booster shots of their vaccines.
On the set-up of catering students in class, we have decided to adopt the 3-2 scheme where 50% of our learners shall be catered for three days in-person and the remaining half shall be catered for two days. The said scheme shall go alternate every week so that the same pacing of lessons will be given to all learners.
Parents’ Orientation was also initiated to instill a teaching-learning process based on the school and community’s shared responsibility. Supportive and understanding parents are laudable. They are upbeat in partnering for plans and innovation of the school to better give their children a quality education. As they know that the academe is far from a perfect learning haven, they extend their help to complement our needs in their best ways such as through voluntary services and donations.
The presence of teachers, parents, community leaders, and administrators was all felt in this very historic comeback of our learners. Their readiness and enthusiasm to adapt to the new set of in-school rules make the safe management of the learning process possible during this shared COVID-19 reality. Our shared efforts are the foundation on which this nation’s future rests. Long live ISAT!