Dixon schools in session, but pandemic is felt in different ways

Classes were in session, but the pandemic’s effects are being felt in other ways, the board of education at Dixon Public Schools learned in its November meeting.

That included a video address from the Dixon High School student of the month, who shared a heartfelt moment about missed experiences.

“Two and a half normal years of school is not enough,” said Madison Cumberland, a senior. “It’s not enough.”

Cumberland, a senior, participates in dance, drama, soccer, student government and is the Key Club Division 13 lieutenant governor. She might be best known, though, as Pinky Petunia, mascot for Dixon’s summer festival.

But many of those activities and experiences were truncated by the pandemic — even if she didn’t realize it at the time.

“I was so excited when we were getting a week off from COVID,” she said. “And I’d take the week back in a heartbeat.”

She hopes incoming freshmen seize on activities now that in-person learning has returned.

“So just don’t blink. Take advantage of your time,” she said.

The pandemic came up in other ways during the Nov. 17 session:

Third-grade transition

It was noted that the transition to in-person learning has been difficult for some students at the third-grade level. Because of the timing of the pandemic, this has been that grade level’s introduction to full time school.

Incidents of misbehavior have occurred, such as disrupting class or not having respectful behavior.

The discipline report for the first three months of school showed three incidents meriting out-of-school suspension at that grade level and five incidents requiring in-school suspension.

“We’re seeing the effects that COVID and the pandemic and being out of school for 15 months had on our kids,” Superintendent Margo Empen said in an interview after the meeting. “We knew that coming in, so we did a lot of what we call boot camp days, where we remind them what it is like to be in school and the expectations for behavior and academics.”

Empen said the district has positive behavior intervention and support teams in each building to address social-emotional needs of the students. There are also guidance counselors and teachers who endeavor to network with parents in each case, Empen said.

“If we find that a lot of kids are having issues, say with arguing, or not keeping their hands to their self, we can do things to focus their attention,” she said.

Empen said making up for time students spent away from structured classrooms during the pandemic requires dedication to the process.

“I think it’s going to be here for the near future,” she said. “For us, looking at making sure we know where they are functioning at, so we can provide the social-emotional supports, to help build them up and close those gaps. Realize, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Parent-teacher conferences

Parents availed themselves of the new methods to communicate with teachers during the Oct. 20-22 conferences, principals reported. In addition to in-person sessions, there were chances to meet by phone, video or by email.

In some cases, participation was 100 percent. At Washington, nine of 22 instructors met with someone for each student; at Jefferson it was 15 of 22 teachers; and at Madison it was seven of 16.

Reagan reported there were 388 total conferences. Of those 303 were in-person, 53 were by video, 22 by phone and 10 were by email. The high school had 245 conferences, with 30 by phone.

Ticket sales

If ticket sales for fall sports are any indication, fans are coming out to watch interscholastic sports at pre-COVID levels.

Varsity football earned $14,296 in ticket sales, compared with $13,062 in 2018. Boys soccer took in $2,121, which is up slightly from $2,059 in 2018. Varsity volleyball earned $5,848, compared with $4,379 in 2018.

Volleyball at Reagan Middle School was down slightly, $957 after being at $1,094 in 2018 and $1,534 in 2019.

The top-grossing football game was Oct. 15 against Byron, which made $3,663. The top soccer game was Oct. 5 against Rochelle at $377. The top volleyball match was Aug. 30 against Newman Central Catholic at $868. Top gate at Reagan was the Sept. 25 invitational tournament, which made $434.

Troy Taylor

Troy E. Taylor

Was named editor for Saukvalley.com and the Gazette and Telegraph in 2021. An Illinois native, he has been a reporter or editor in daily newspapers since 1989.