Dear Little Brother,
It is highly unlikely that you will ever forget the 2020-2021 school year. One, I debated if I even wanted to send you to school. Two, when you went to school much of the time was spent initially in masks, rows, and doing extreme hand-washing. Three, you had one of the BEST teachers I know.
Maybe you won't remember, but dad I and I spent lots of time deliberating if we should send you to school or hunker down for the year. I was worried about sending my little babies into a germ-infested school and unsure what would happen if either of you got sick. You seemed relatively healthy, but I was still very concerned. I had lined up another gig even and had considered not going back into the classroom...I was seriously not into the thought of working in and being in a school during a PANDEMIC. I was also seriously fearful that Covid would result in an annoying flip-flop from
I don't like the germiness of working in a school/classroom during a good year. Something that was always in the back of my head anytime I considered not going back was you and Baby Waider's teachers. You were in the BEST classrooms and I just wasn't sure I could sacrifice that year for either of you out of the fear of the unknown. Also, I felt like homeschooling was a real challenge for you. I could tell that you missed the social aspects of school and I was definitely not qualified to be your teacher.
It was a phone call to Mr. Dschaak that solidified my decision. I've worked for him for a long time and we aren't afraid to ask each other hard questions. He asked me a question that stopped me dead in my tracks, "Are you going to do everything you can do to keep your students safe?" That seemed like a ridiculous question. Of course, I was! That's what I spent nearly all of my time thinking about over the entire summer of 2020. After I answered he said, "Don't you think that Mr. Kieffer and Mrs. Weber will do the exact same thing?" He was right. I had to trust your teachers to do the best that they could do to keep you safe. We decided to send you to school and in the end I feel like it was by far the best decision for our family.
It was not surprising that you thrived with Mr. Kieffer. You loved absolutely everything about him and would explain in great detail everything that you did at school. Not only were you in his class, but Kitt and Frank also were in there with you. You loved to play soccer, read books, listen to Mr. Kieffer read books, and you also loved to do any sort of math.
You thought that "Mr. Kieffer did a lot of things fun and that he was funny." That's a direct quote from you. I've said it before when Baby Waider had Mr. Kieffer and I'll say it again. He's got the magical touch that just makes him a special teacher. He's nearly always the favorite teacher when kids are asked even years later. It's not surprising because I like to be around him too.
I am forever grateful that I took the leap of faith that was sending you to Kieffer's class for the 2020-2021 school year. You had the best time and learned so much.
Love,
Mom
P.S. When you had Mr. Kieffer you had both of your counsins in class with you. I think it was fun for you and...memorable for Mr. Kieffer.
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