CHRISTOPHER — This week’s Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois MVT–Most Valuable Teacher Award–goes to Miss Kayla Krapf, the band and chorus teacher at Christopher Elementary School and Christopher High School.
Krapf splits her days between the two schools. She has 72 5th through 8th grade students in band and chorus and 50 more at the high school.
“On a normal year, we’re already a pretty tight squeeze,” Krapf said. “Finding different rooms and places to go was quite a challenge. We knew outside was the best place to go, but obviously when you get into colder months, you have to move them indoors. We’re fortunate enough to have two gyms, so PE can have one of the gyms, and we get to use the other gym.”
Wherever they hold class, there are plenty of guidelines to follow. Krapf says with the fluid nature of her classes, day to day circumstances have presented quite a challenge.
“We still maintain the six feet apart, but for certain instruments, they’re recommending nine feet apart,” Krapf said. “It’s the same thing indoors and outdoors, but outside we don’t have to have our masks or the bell covers on. When we are inside, the bell covers are on. Students cannot play if they don’t have that bell cover.”
This school year has presented many challenges and changes, but there have been positives.
“Using Google Classroom and virtual learning has actually been really helpful,” Krapf said. “Being able to post information and using it as a way to get resources out or to get recordings or listenings out, I think that has been really, really helpful for us. It’s a great way to get information and assignments to students who maybe have to be gone for multiple days because of something going on in their life. It adds an extra door, an extra place, for them to be able to learn when they’re not in school.”
In her nomination, Kristin Odom told us “Miss Krapf has worked tirelessly this school year. She is the music teacher for both Christopher schools, something that this school year I believe is more important than ever. Students have suffered much during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but Kayla has dedicated herself to finding engaging and educational ways to reach all ages of students! She goes between two schools, creating plans for students of all levels, and has a smile on her face the entire time! She is a generous teacher who loves her profession. She is truly one of a kind!”
If you know of a Most Valuable Teacher, let us know. You can nominate a Most Valuable Teacher here.