As volunteers loaded tornado relief supplies and care packages into the trunk of her mom’s car, Aubrey, 8, shouted, “Where is Ms. Peardon? Is she here?”
The second grader, who attends East Brainerd Elementary, was hoping to see her teacher among the several dozen East Brainerd staff who came out to Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts on Tuesday to hand out care packages and say hello to students.
School hasn’t been in session since March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and now it is unclear when instruction will resume at the campus on Goodwin Road.
The elementary school was severely damaged by the EF3 tornado and deadly storms that struck Chattanooga and surrounding areas on April 12.
At least 250 of the elementary school’s approximately 1,200 students were directly affected by the storm. Some lost their homes, many are staying in hotels. Without their school, their safe haven, many of their teachers are concerned about them.
“It’s heartbreaking. I just feel helpless,” said Jessica Pollard, a kindergarten teacher at East Brainerd. “I think most of us just feel helpless, so we want to do every bit we can do. This is one of the things I can do.”
Educators from across the district helped collect – and even purchase – donations for East Brainerd families and assembled care packages for students filled with kid-friendly items like Play-Doh, bubbles, stress balls, coloring supplies and books on Monday for East Brainerd teachers like Pollard to hand out Tuesday.
As a black van circled the drive-thru-style pick-up line, Pollard began waving and blowing kisses at the car. Rylan Lewis is one of her current kindergartners, and she previously taught Rylan’s older sister, Harlee. They’re just a precious family, Pollard said.
“Can you give me a smile?” Pollard called and waved. “I love you! I’ll see you soon. Bye pretty girl.”
Teachers have been staying in contact with their students at a distance since schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic – through virtual learning assignments, teleconference calls and video chats.
One of Kacie Pendergrass’ second grade students just wanted to FaceTime her one day and see her face, she said.
As soon as the severe storms passed, teachers were tracking down their students, school principal Marthel Young said.
“Some teachers were texting or calling at one or two o’clock in the morning,” she said. Even though dozens of her staff members were also hit by the storm – including an assistant principal whose home was lost – Young said the educators’ first thoughts were of their kids and their families.
“We wanted to lay eyes on our families and see that they are OK and let them know that we are OK,” Young said. “So many people have been impacted by everything. It’s just been horrific. It’s been hard. But we have such a wonderful team of staff members.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you are interested in helping support East Brainerd Elementary teachers, students or families, you can contact Principal Marthel Young at young_m@hcde.org or the school’s Family Partnership Specialist Janie Frick at frick_janie@hcde.org.
The hardest part of distributing the care packages for many of the teachers Tuesday was not being able to give students hugs as a result of social distancing rules involving the COVD-19 global pandemic. Donning face masks and gloves, some crowded around open car windows and spoke with the parents and the children piled into vehicles.
Sharon Ferguson, a pre-K teacher, said she was worried about doing her part to social distance, but she just needed to see her babies.
“I told my husband I’d wear my mask and my gloves, but I’m going to see them, the Lord will protect me,” she said. “I miss them.”
Others called out, “This just made my day” or “I can’t do this no-hugging thing.”
Exceptional education teacher Liz Fleming said that seeing her students every day, in person, is “the joy that has been missing.”
Young said that for young students, it’s been challenging.
“It’s hard for young minds to grasp and to deal with this,” she said. “It’s hard for them to grasp the concept of time, especially when they don’t know when they’ll go back.”
Many of the things students had worked all year toward had to be canceled, she said, like the second graders’ Black History Month program or a pre-K end of the year celebration. Many were crushed, she said.
“We are trying to make sure [the students] understand it’s not something they’ve done. It’s not going to last forever,” Young said. “Right now we want to make sure everyone is safe and that we’ll be picking up the pieces.”
Contact Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.