PHOTO COURTESY VIA MAGGIE O”BRIEN
Can I tell you how impressed I am by the faculty at Saint Laurentius School? My daughter and son-in-law are both essential workers, so I have my grandchildren. The teachers do Zoom meetings with the kids as well as email lessons and video lessons every day to the students. My grandson is in fourth grade. His teacher, Ms. Nicholas, makes these videos (including graphics) that if you were in my home and heard it, you would think you were in school.
The first Zoom meeting that Emma, who is in first grade, had, when her classmates’ little faces came up on the computer screen, Emma jumped up and down, flung her arms open and said, “I am so happy to see all of you!” I lost it. I had to leave the room.
It is incredible to me that these teachers on a daily basis are coming up with a unique way to teach. Andrew’s fourth-grade class has a morning meeting where they talk about what is going on in their lives, what they are happy about, who is their hero, etc. It is what they do every day in school. And now, they are doing it on Zoom.
The first Zoom that Andrew had, he did on a cell phone.
The next time he said to me, “MomMom, I am going to use the computer, OK? Because I will be able to see everyone better.”
There are a lot of heroes during this pandemic – the courageous medical professionals, the first responders, grocery clerks and mail carriers and delivery drivers. But, nobody is talking about these teachers! It must be difficult for them – they are living in this crazy world, yet they are working so hard to give these students some normalcy in their lives. The teachers are smiling and joking, reading stories. It is incredible to me. It must be so difficult for them, but they don’t show it.
And, it means so much to the kids! They love seeing each other.
Maggie O’Brien
Fishtown
St. Laurentius grandparent
Staying at home and heroes in the River Wards
The country, the city of Philadelphia and our River Wards communities are all experiencing a moment unlike any in recent memory.
Amid the ever-evolving COVID-19 crisis, with the ensuing guidelines and mandates, the world around us is a much different place.
The Star wants you, our readers, to help document this history as it happens.
We want to see how social distancing and staying at home have impacted our neighborhood streets.
We want to document how individuals are coping during times of uncertainty.
We want to hear how businesses are staying afloat during these difficult times.
And, we want to celebrate the essential employees who keep our communities moving forward, often while putting themselves on the backburner.
Share your stories, send your photos and highlight the unsung heroes in the 19125, 19134 and 19137 ZIP codes.
Submissions should be emailed to Melissa Komar at [email protected].
