“Experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic as听补 new employee has been eye-opening” April 17, 2020 A New Employee Reflection on Saint John’s Prep and COVID-19 I recently moved back to Minnesota after living in California for many听years and听was听fortunate enough to join the Saint John鈥檚 Prep community听in October of 2019.听Experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic as听补听new employee at Prep has been eye-opening and听frankly听refreshing, as it has听crystalized my faith in our听institution as a whole.听Our teachers听 immediately听补nd听almost听seamlessly听transitioned into online learning. At听the same time,听I听have听witnessed them听work听to听practice听flexibility,听sensitivity, and support听for students听who听have听faced听such challenges as 14-day quarantines in hotels before听returning听to their home countries or听not having sufficient听Wi-Fi听in their homes听to attend online classes.听Our residential staff have continued to support our boarding students who have chosen to stay on campus for the duration of the semester,听recently听giving up the Easter holiday with their families to facilitate a fun and engaging long weekend for the students.听The听leadership team has been a beacon of听hope听补nd resiliency, emphasizing听that we should听focus听on听balance and love for听ourselves, as well as for听our听students.听Faculty and staff have kept in touch, holding virtual happy听hours,听online chess games,听补nd听League of Legends sessions.听All of听these actions speak to the Benedictine听values that Saint John鈥檚 Prep holds听dear and听confirms my听first impression of听Prep听that I had last October: these people really do 鈥渨alk the听talk鈥�.听I am听incredibly grateful for this community that continues to go above and beyond,听and听a community in which听I feel seen and supported.听 Now, it is听easy听for me to remain optimistic during this time as听I听am听fortunate听enough听to continue听to听work听from home听补nd have听the necessary resources to听work remotely.听Whether you are听in听a听similar听situation or are facing听hardships听in these uncertain times, I听encourage you to reflect on what you are grateful for听in your life. The below poem has been circulating online and I was struck by its听alignment听with Prep鈥檚 values. I hope it brings light into your lives and hearts: 听 And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal. And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed. – Kitty O’Meara听 听 Zoe Davis Assistant Director of 羞羞视颏听 Want to learn more about Saint John’s Prep?
