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Infant - Grade 8 Private School. 40 Acre Campus in Falls Church, Virginia.
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THE COVID COLLECTION

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STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Each person in our community's life was drastically affected due to COVID-19, and that remains true for our infant - 8th grade students. We are incredibly proud of their resiliency, patience, perseverance, and positive attitudes throughout everything they've been through.

We've collected quotes, photos, projects, surveys, and more to represent our students' experience throughout this past year.

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GRADE 5
WHAT WAS VIRTUAL LEARNING LIKE FOR YOU?

Martha

I liked the fact that I could hang out with my pets, but it was really annoying because it was harder to learn and to get help.

Gabe

Virtual learning was fun for me because after school I would already be home and I wouldn't have to drive. A negative thing about virtual learning was that I couldn't actually play with my friends during recess.

Ella

I was virtual for a long time, so I experienced many negatives and positives. The negatives were not seeing friends, being alone, ALWAYS being on the internet, and constant distractions. The positives were spending time with family and getting my dog.

Sanjeev

One thing I liked about virtual learning is that I was allowed to wear free dress every day, which was a lot more comfortable. One thing I disliked about virtual learning was that I couldn't hear everybody very well because of poor connection.

Henry

It was nice that you did not have to wear a mask and it was easier to be on time, but it was very easy to be distracted.

Phoebe

You have some extra time to get ready. But your on your screen all day so it will run out of battery faster.

Jackson

There were no negatives about online learning but some positives were being inside the whole time. Also it was great having longer breaks. There were many more positives but that would be too many to name.

Annica

The positive effect was that I could sleep in, school ended earlier, and have more breaks in-between classes. The negative effect of virtual learning was that I had some technical difficulties, but other than that it was really nice!

Evan

I can do my homework immediately when school is over. I can have one on one talks with teachers. I have lag sometimes and I don't know what happens and I miss out on the work.

Nisa

Virtual learning was something that I remember being excited about, but as the year passed, Coronavirus got worse. I wasn't excited to be online anymore. I wanted everything to go back to normal. However, it was a nice break in a way, and one day in high school or college, I'll think, "Why did I ever want to go back in-person?"

Coco

I like online learning because I could sleep in and when you're given homework you can just get to it but I didn't like being away from friends, bad connection, and blurry screens.

Stella

I like virtual learning because we had many more breaks and school started later. I don't like virtual learning because of the internet issues and looking at the computer all day.

GRADE 6
HOW DID YOU FEEL ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL DURING A PANDEMIC?

Charlotte

I was very excited and also kind of nervous. I thought that it was going to be amazing to see my friends in person again. I was nervous that it was going to be boring and that I would hate wearing the mask.

Saad

I felt awkward, but as COVID got better, I felt more comfortable.

Kendra

I felt excited to come back to school and see friends that I had not seen in a while.

Alex

It felt hard to breathe through a mask for a couple of weeks.

Karla

I felt weird because I was so used to doing online school. After the first couple of weeks I felt normal.

Noah

It felt weird for me because we had to keep our masks on always and could only take it off at lunch, but it became normal after a few weeks.

Arden

It felt the same to me, just with masks.

Robert

Weird because we have to wear masks and had plexi glass is in between the tables.

Caeli

Nerves about the teachers moving instead of the students and scared I would get COVID.

Margaux

I felt kind of nervous.

Kaiden

I felt a little stressed starting in a new school with a pandemic and over time a little more stressed as school work started to pick up.

Ella

I felt nervous because of the pandemic, and it was a new school.

Tilda

I felt safe. The teachers made sure everybody followed the covid guildelines.

REFLECTIONS OF A PANDEMIC

In most ways, our academic program has stayed the same as other years. Teachers had to tweak projects and adjust the way they present certain topics, but our students have had a strong academic year none-the-less. Throughout the year, different projects and activities have reflected the theme of living in a pandemic. Click the images to view them larger.

Self Portrait
Poverty and COVID-19 Correlation. Full project: https://bit.ly/3bTyS1w
Learning Personal Space and Social Distancing
Self Portrait
Collage Self Portrait
Collage Self Portrait
COVID-19 Vaccination Word Problem
Learning the Letter M - Mouse with Mask and Mittens
Keep Your Mask On - Core Values
Vaccine Rollout Plans. Full presentation here: https://bit.ly/3ficxg4
Virtual Get-to-Know-You Lockers
Collage Self Portrait
Preschool morning meeting puppets have masks—just like us.
"Behind my Mask" Get to Know You Activity
Learning How to Fight Germs

BIMODAL LEARNING

One of the learning options for students kindergarten - 8th grade in the fall of 2020 was Bimodal. Bimodal learning involves a student learning virtually from home while other students are learning in school.

"When you're bimodal and looking at kids at school on the screen, you feel like you are watching a movie. And the weirder thing is when you do return to school, you feel like you've been cast in that movie. It's the strangest thing."
- Anderson '22

STUDENT WRITING

OUR YOUNGEST FRIENDS LEADING THE WAY

VIDEO COLLECTION

Wuhan, China Reflection

Mental Health PSA

Musical Performance

Hopes for 2021

Favorite Places

GRADE 7
WHAT WAS THE HARDEST NEW PROTOCOL THAT HAD TO BE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE OF COVID-19?

Quinn

I think that the hardest protocol that had to be put in place because of COVID-19 was social isolation/distancing. I think for me this was the hardest because I am a very social person, and it affects me when I can not interact with people on the norm.

Aylssa

A lot of the protocols have helped me, not a lot of them were annoying.

Gabrianna

Bimodal and physical distancing.

Nolan

The worst protocol was isolation. Being completely cut off from the rest of the world was bad.

Paul

The hardest guideline in the beginning for me was the isolation and sheer time I spent at home during quarantine.

Mehr

Masks, because they are a bit annoying to wear.

Craig

Opening the windows of the classroom because I sit next to one of them.

Anderson

No field trips.

Jack

Online learning while the rest of the class is in person.

Maegan

Field trips being cancelled. 7th grade was supposed to be a big year for field trips, but we had none. We've also never had an overnight field trip, so that would have been nice.

Avery

Being social distanced and wearing masks because then there were no sports, on the sport court we are required to wear masks, and less hands on activities during class.

GRADE 8
WHAT ARE SOME SILVER LININGS THAT CAME OUT OF COVID-19?

Michael

I have had more extra time than ever before. I have been able to use this time to study and learn about topics not taught at school.

Kadi

I picked up a new hobby, and I got more in shape—worked on myself.

Kaitlyn

I didn't have to take the SSAT again. I felt a lot closer to my friends this year rather in past years. I have better grades.

Calvin

I got to spend a lot more time with my family that I wouldn't have been able to normally.

Caroline

I didn't have to take the SSAT, I got a dog, and I got better at drawing.

Addison

Coming in-person to school, people being more clean and efficient, making better relationships with my peers, and online ordering.

Jack

I got better at using tech.

Grace

I got to come to Congressional and meet new friends and teachers.

Billy

People are now more aware of the health and hygiene so therefore I get sick less in general.

Lorna

I got to spend more time with my family.

Javier

COVID-19 has been very inconvenient, but I was able to spend more time with my family, which was nice because they travel a lot.

Thomas

New school, new friends.

GRADES 3 AND 4 SURVEY
WHAT WAS THE WORST PART DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN?

3rd-and-4th-Grade

GRADE 2 REFLECTIONS

Second graders talked as a class about how the history books are one day
going to report all of the bad things that happened because of COVID-19. But those books may leave out the positives that came out of this time as well. To remember all aspects of it, students wrote down the difficult parts in addition to the positives that have come from this time. Click the images to view them larger.