The Annehurst Elementary students living in Brookville Apartments gravitated to the complex’s playground where the teachers they had only seen on a computer screen were hosting an ice cream social.
It was the first in-person meeting between these students — all enrolled in Westerville Virtual Academy — and their teachers, who shared treats, an Annehurst facemask and additional materials to support their learning at home.
“We greatly appreciate the visit and for the school to reach out like this,” said Mohamed Abdille, whose daughters Isra and Asmaa attended the gathering.
Many of these students may not have stepped inside the school building since last spring but it’s important for them to know that they are still part of the Annehurst family, Principal Tabatha Wilburn said.
“We want to make sure we’re making that connection as much as possible,” she said.
Wilburn and the school’s teachers and staff have organized various activities to stay connected with their WVA students and families and keep them included in events at the school. In addition to the ice cream social at Brookville Apartments, the group held similar gatherings at a park and another apartment complex where many of their students attend. They invited WVA parents to help with the school’s Mumkins fundraiser and welcomed WVA students to join in their Red Ribbon and Spirit Week activities by taking photos of their Spirit Week outfits and featured them in the morning announcements.
Wilburn said she plans to include WVA students in the Students of the Month honors and WVA students will have an opportunity to come to the building at a designated time for Picture Day.
“We’re trying to come up with some fun ways to stay connected,” she said.
About a third of Annehurst’s students are enrolled in the virtual academy, the district’s remote learning option for families who would prefer to keep their kids at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lourdes Bacigalupo watched as her kids, Luna and Rocco, approached the group of Annehurst teachers who stationed themselves just across their home in the Charring Cross Apartments complex.
“It was nice they got to stop by,” she said. “It means a lot to have them involved so we don’t feel left out.”
Meanwhile, first-grader Bethel Boateng was excited to finally see her teacher, Lindsey Gamertsfelder, in person. She kept an eye on the clock and reminded her mother that her teacher would be in their Brookville apartment complex at noon.
She rushed to the playground to meet Gamertsfelder and shyly said hello as Gamertsfelder gave her an ice-cream sandwich, facemask and learning materials. As Gamertsfelder greeted other students, Boateng watched her at a distance.
“She wants to give her a hug,” her mother, Mavis, said.