CCS Feature
Educating Through a Pandemic The Temporary Normal
I f Marty McFly came back in his DeLorean to mid-March 2020, he’d most likely ask Doc to get him out as soon as possible. And who could blame him? In January of 2020 things were looking up. It was a new year, the economy was booming, and the future was so bright we had to wear shades (please excuse the barrage of 80’s
transitioned back to campus. We are so thankful for our teachers, who continue to balance their teaching to effectively reach both on campus and remote learners. Life on Campus- Classrooms look a little different these days as social distancing and mask wearing are required, as are breaks to take them off, and as much outside time as possible. Hand washing, sanitizing and cleaning protocols are all taken as seriously as the lesson plans. HBI students participate in class
references). Like another double-digit year of 1919, we quickly embarked on our own prohibition of sorts, as the freedoms we take for granted were now not only prohibited, but fineable. Many of us feared for our own health and for those of family members and masks, social distancing and “Zooming” became part of our everyday vernacular. For Cambridge administrators, this scenario brought about an immediate response as a plan was put into place to continue the good work of educating our students, while still keeping them safe. The Birth of HBI- Many ideas were considered regarding remote learning. Certainly, we were all aware of what it was, but bringing it to CCS to such a large degree, was, indeed, a new mountain to climb. As God would have it, we were blessed with a team of educators that quickly went to work on developing our Home-Based Instruction program, or HBI, as it is now called. Dr. Cara Lile and Mr. Nathan Stark are our HBI
discussions, and teachers have done an amazing job making home-based learners feel a part of the Lancer community. Events may be watched on campus or virtually, thanks to technology, so no one had to miss seeing the play, band or choir concerts. School spirit is still part of things, as even our Campus Store has adjusted to take phone orders from parents and snack orders from
students. One of the most important changes to campus life has been the addition of the Base Camp screening application and our school nurse, Darianne Altieri. Through the analytics provided from Base Camp, Nurse Darianne has been able to monitor changes and trends throughout campus and keep on top of illnesses, COVID or otherwise. Her calm and assuring
Coordinators and have worked tirelessly to make learning from home nearly like being on campus. While there are still many areas to be improved upon, it allows for those families who choose it to learn from home. It has proved to be a valuable option, even for those students who are out sick, so they don’t fall behind. At the beginning of school, we had 94 students enrolled in HBI from both US and LS. Since then, almost 40% have
demeanor has been a blessing for students and families and a valuable resource for any of us who have health questions or need support during an illness. Faith- C.S. Lewis said, “Life with God is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties.” At CCS, we know that more than ever, our Lancer family needs to rely on God and each other. In the most isolating
4 | ccslancers.com Spring 2021 - Connections
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