Schools will look a little bit different this year due to COVID-19 and so will their support systems like Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs).
Pivoting
Like other PTAs, Neuqua Valley’s Parent Teacher Student Association has had to pivot since the spring after Governor J.B. Pritzker announced schools would switch to remote learning for the rest of the school year.
And now for the fall they’re doing the same. Typically Neuqua Valley’s PTSA would have an “All-In” event welcoming freshmen to the high school, but instead will have pop-up events throughout the community so freshmen can still get to know one another.
“It’s still a chance for these kids to feel a sense that they’re high schoolers and there is a community piece that they’re missing and we’re going to try and bring that back,” said Keri Dunn, the president of Neuqua Valley’s PTSA. “And again, with the mind frame of ‘so we can’t do it at school, where can we do it? Can we take it out into the community? Can we bring stuff that they would have out?’ So we’re just looking at what can we do for these students. And we’re going to continue that.”
Parent Help
Both D203 and 204 students will have to participate in some remote learning this fall. Dunn said the PTSA will bring in a psychologist to help parents identify some red flags that may come with online learning.
“Typically if you see a child, or a student, especially a teenager, in their room very withdrawn all the time just online, it’s very hard for a parent to discern that now because that’s how they’re learning,” said Dunn. “They don’t have the opportunity to be out, or they’re not supposed to be out as much. It’s a different world for them. [So] how can a parent tell is that’s a red flag? Do have child that’s regressing educationally, [or] socially that has some red flags that we need to be looking at? Or is that just that they’re high level learners and they’re working hard and that’s what to be expected?”
Teacher Support
Lastly, Neuqua Valley’s PTSA is looking to provide school staff with breakfast for a day, which they do every year. But with the district’s starting date currently in question, no plans are set.
More About NV’s PTSA
NV’s PTSA biggest source of funding is through membership dues for the group. Funding is also traditionally supplemented by other events, which they host, but with an ever-changing landscape, those events may change.
To learn more about NV’s PTSA you can visit their website.
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
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