There’s just something about a small town and the way the people come together in a time of need.
That’s been on full display this week as the Russell County School District started the new school year fully virtual, and while that was not necessarily a popular decision by many people here, it’s still been refreshing to see the way the community has stepped up when the students needed it to.
Many churches and businesses have opened up to provide WiFi hotspots in various parts of the county in an attempt to help those students who do not have internet access at home, and that’s certainly something these businesses and churches did not have to do, especially in the midst of a world-wide pandemic.
It should also be mentioned that Duo County Telecom stepped up and provided a substantial financial donation to the school district to assist with the purchase of technology equipment for this transition to virtual learning.
On top of that, teachers and other school staff have worked tirelessly to offer assistance to families who are new to the Google Classroom technology and to set their students up for success.
Going virtual to start the school year was not an easy decision, and one that I am certain Russell County Schools Superintendent Michael Ford and the board of education deliberated a great deal over, but ultimately, I think it was the right move. There is still a lot of unknown with this virus, and the idea of an outbreak occurring and harming our students is not something any of us want to think about.
Ford and the school board made an incredibly tough decision, one that was not popular, but there’s no doubt in my mind each of those individuals had the best interest of Russell County students in their heart and mind. For that, they should be commended.
And this community should be commended for the way it has stepped up to help our students in a very difficult time.
It takes a village, and Russell County is a pretty good village if you ask me.
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