We know schedules are packed, so in the event you missed our community conversation last week, we want to make sure you have a chance to learn from our panel of experts too! We invite you to check out our YouTube Channel and watch the conversation now.
Not surprisingly, we learned students in Washoe County have experienced significant academic and social delays as a result of the pandemic, but local experts are hopeful we can work together to minimize the long-term impacts.
The CDC officially declared the end of the Covid-19 Health Emergency on May 11th, 2023 and our panel of experts helped us to understand that the emotional and social recovery and transition phase is just beginning for most students in our community. The biggest challenges our panelists shared were related to mental fitness and resiliency of students along with increased absenteeism, loss of content knowledge and the delay of social skills that resulted from virtual and heavily modified learning environments.
Luckily for our students and for us, our panel suggested a few ways we can help. While Washoe County School District prioritizes mental fitness and wellbeing for children and staff, we can do the following to help their work:
Write thank you letters, emails and give words of encouragement to teachers, principals and staff. These small acts can make a big difference for our educational community.
Our experts discussed the need for systematic changes to help public school districts have the adequate resources they need. For example, increasing teacher and educational staff salaries, making sure Washoe County School District can employ the recommended level of counselors per student and increasing the per pupil funding to be more in line with other economically vibrant states. Please communicate to school board trustees, local officials and state representatives about why education matters to you, and why funding is critical.
Talk about emotion regulation and what it means to work together. Children learn from the adults in their community so if you share how you use these skills they can learn from you. The relationships we have with students have a positive impact on their mental fitness and resiliency.
Volunteer at schools and school events as community involvement makes a big difference in how supported students and teachers feel. Attending events also helps you get to know other people in our community.
Donate to Washoe K-12 foundation, Education Alliance or educational non profit organizations working with Washoe County School District.
There are a number of Washoe County School District Committees which could use your support. Consider donating your time and expertise: WCSD committees. Deadline for applications is this Friday, June 9th.
There is overwhelming evidence that a community with a high quality of life has a strong educational foundation for its citizens and your support for education here in the Truckee Meadows makes a difference.
Thank you to our panelists and sponsors!
Dr. Susan Enfield, Superintendent for the Washoe County School District
Beth Smith, President, Washoe County School Board and District D Trustee
Joel Peixoto, Principal of G. L. Dilworth Middle School, Washoe County School District
Marrina Martin, Elementary Teacher Smithridge STEM Academy, Washoe County School District
Katherine Loudon, Administrator of School Counseling and Social Work, Washoe County School District
Hosted and Moderated by Sarah Gobbs-Hill, Interim Executive Director of Truckee Meadows Tomorrow
This speaker series is made possible by the generous support of Renown Health,Washoe County Health District, NV Energy, Washoe Education Association (WEA), Truckee Meadows Water Authority and Microsoft.
For more data and information
Get informed by checking out the Nevada Tomorrow Community Data Exchange. Learn about this free, dynamic, easy to use, one-stop digital resource for access to community quality of life data. Click below and it will take you directly to our up-to-date educational data that highlights trends, challenges and opportunities in our Nevada communities. Another great resource is the Washoe County School District's data website.
Thank you for being invested in our community. Together we make the future bright!
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