Independence teacher plays positive role for students facing uncertainty amid the pandemic

Independence teacher plays positive role for students facing uncertainty amid the pandemic

HOMEPAGE.THE UNCERTAINTY ISN'TJUST FOR STUDENTS.SOME FAMILIES ARETRYINGO TGET BACK ONTHEIR FEET.K-S-H-B 41 NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKEEXPLAINS HOW THISIMPACTS KIDS -- AND ATWHONE TEACHER DOES TOKEEP STUDENTS ONTRACK.Families across the metro arestill faci ingnsbitality at homedue because of the pandemic:job loss, eviction, and movingaround.Simone Dennis is one of thoseparents.Simone Dennis / MotherThis year will be a lotdifferentjust because I don't know if wewill have a stable home by thetime he starts school in acouple weeks.

I don't knowwhat the future holds at all.A lot.

A lot of stress.As a mom, she wants heryoung son to stay in the sameschool district and get aconsistent education withouthaving to worry about wherehe'll slp.eeSimone DennisYou don't want your children tohave to go through that.

As aparent you just want them tobe safe and comfortable.This is where teachers likeMs. Mendoza can be abeacon of light..

She teacheskindergarten at Cassell ParkElementary in Independence.Although her students are only5 years old, she says theyunderstand so much about theworld around them - includg inCOVID.Mercedes Mendoza / KindergartenteacherI always tell them, you got tobe open, share your feelings,this is your home.

You've gotto able to let kids beuscaasan adult, sometimes we don'trealize they also have fear buttheir fears mighbet dfeifrentthan our fears.Some kids fell behindacademically..

Some kids leftthe school because theirfamily had to move.

Despitethese disruptions, Ms.Mendoza approached it withpositivity and says herstudents picked up on it, too.MendozaThere's a lot of things I cat n'control, neither you, none ofus.

But one thing I can tell youis we're going to do it day-- byday and we're going to have agreat time.She's remembering e thsuccesses from last year, andapproaching this school yearw/ the same attitude.MendozaWhen we were able to letthem be themselves and feelsafe, then everything elseca lmeike a puzzle, they wereable to find their way.

Andevery single one of themreached their goal.Sarah Plake KSHB 41 News