Emmons Elementary preps for virtual start to school year

MISHAWAKA, Ind.--- Teachers and Administration at Emmons Elementary spent Tuesday preparing for the virtual start to the school year. On Wednesday, the School City of Mishawaka will start the 2020-2021 academic year virtually until at least September 18th.

"It’s hard to compare this to any years past," said Principal Brad Addison. "The last few weeks we have been working really hard to make the transition."

Second year teacher, Amy Darnell says the adjustment to virtual only classes has caused her to come up with some creative ways to connect with her students.

"In virtual land we have to come up with some things crazy out of the box," said Darnell. "One of our favorites in summer school was a scavenger hunt."

Darnell says one major difficulty with virtual learning is eliminating distractions in the students' homes.

"A lot of it is framing up our faces to make it seem like everyone’s in the front row sow there’s no sleeping in our classes and we talk with our hands so our students are mirroring my words which will allow me to see what my students are doing," said Darnell.

Both teachers and administration at Emmons say they are excited for the day students physically return to school. 

"I sit in my classroom right now and I don’t have my desks set up and I don’t the decorations done because I need them to make it feel complete so, I don’t know if there are words to describe what it will be like when my schools are physically back in the building," said Darnell.