Paul is a fifth grade student at Mill Street Elementary in Lewisville ISD. Paul had been working hard all school year, and he was on track for success! Then the pandemic hit, and school campuses closed down, with many campuses transitioning to online learning.
Virtual learning presented new barriers for Paul. All the effort and dedication he had put into his class work was fading. His teachers reported that he had not been joining virtual class calls or turning his work in. Shonarie Sholin, CIS Site Coordinator at Mill Street Elementary, knew that this behavior was out of character for Paul. She tried to get in touch with Paul and his parents multiple times, but phone numbers had been changed or disconnected. Ms. Sholin preserved and exhausted every resource – and finally, contact was made!
Ms. Sholin was able to talk with Paul and learn how the COVID-19 crisis had impacted him and his family. She then set up a virtual meeting between Paul, herself, and his teacher, but Paul did not show up. Paul was struggling with online learning, and was hesitant about sharing his challenges with his teacher. It took Ms. Sholin several attempts to reconnect with Paul, but again, Ms. Sholin persevered, and made contact once more.
Paul had demonstrated dedication and commitment to his work at the beginning of the year, and Ms. Sholin knew that he simply needed a little boost. This time, when Paul and Ms. Sholin talked, Paul was open about his struggles. Paul told Ms. Sholin that he was ready to ask his teacher for help, and Ms. Sholin was glad to connect Paul with his teacher so that he could receive the help he needed.
Now, Paul joins class calls and is receiving the support he needs to adjust to online classes, and Ms. Sholin continues to stay by his side through virtual learning Ms. Sholin joins Paul’s class calls so that she is familiar with daily lesson plans, and gives Paul one-on-one assistance as he completes his class work.
As Paul and Ms. Sholin have worked together to tackle online learning, their bond has grown, and Paul has taken the opportunity to open up about his emotions and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected him. After receiving the extra emotional and academic support he needed during a challenging time, Paul is back on track and has even increased his reading score by 300 points!
All of us are struggling with new obstacles during the COVID-19 crisis, but children from low-income families face even greater challenges and may experience long-lasting barriers from this crisis. School campuses provide a safe space where students can expect consistent check-ins with trusted adults, as well as stability and established routines. CISNT Site Coordinators are taking extra steps to provide these valuable resources to students in their new remote learning world.
It took numerous calls and effort, but Ms. Sholin remained optimistic, and refused to give up on Paul. Ms. Sholin’s persistence and belief in Paul are just one example of how positive relationships go a long way in supporting our students. Ms. Sholin is helping Paul to build resilience in a challenging time, and Paul is demonstrating how hard work and dedication can propel you on a path of success. We applaud Ms. Sholin and Paul for going above and beyond during a difficult situation!
CISNT is in schools and beyond, because CISNT is always all in for kids.
