The Paton-Churdan School District has started implementing the new way of non-required education for its students this week.

P-C Principal Annie Smith says with the guidance of the Iowa Department of Education, they are doing “Voluntary Educational Enrichment Opportunities” for students. She says the learning is more structured than what they have been doing prior to this week which was just providing educational resources. Smith notes because they are doing the voluntary route, they do not need to make up any missed days of the school year from the COVID-19 closure. 

Smith describes how she has been handling the COVID-19 issues and figuring out ways to still deliver education to students, but from a distance.

“It is a little daunting just because of the work that we do. We are in it because we love it and we love people. When you take that part out of it (human interaction) it becomes a whole different ball game for us that now we’re trying to measure emotions and trying to measure people have that kind of support without that face-to-face interaction. It’s different, we have to look at it differently. We just have to keep reminding us that this too shall pass.”

Smith adds students are encouraged to take part in the learning opportunities either via the internet or paper packet.