Celebrations and Memories from the 2020-2021 School Year
/“I am taking away an enormous appreciation for our whole community - students, families, faculty, staff, supporters, extended families, and friends. The way we all pulled together and supported each other during this challenging pandemic year truly was inspiring. We were able to thrive, not just survive, during these challenges because we faced them together. ”
What a school year it has been! Breakwater faculty, staff, and caregivers met the many challenges of this unique school year by navigating how to best support and teach students during a global pandemic together. Building on what we have learned collectively since March of 2020, we were able to meet the moment and give students the best possible learning environment. Although the year may have looked different and come with many challenges, struggles, and fewer moments to be all together, what allowed us to push through was our commitment to our students and the mission of Breakwater. This allowed us to have a school year with strong academic growth, community, learning, and memories. Join us as we look back on the 2020-2021 school year with reflections from our faculty and students.
What was your favorite memory from this school year?
"Having showcase at Jessieland and showing our parents everything we're learning." - Kindergarten Student
“My favorite memory was our Active Citizen bike ride, where we biked to Congress Street and met a few different members of the community who were using their skills and interests to make a difference in the world. It was an inspirational trip for our students and a great way to connect with members of the community during a time where those types of connections were sorely needed for a lot of us.” - Middle School Teacher
“All the Jessieland days” - Middle School Student
“Kayaking the ocean with my class. The waves were huge, which made it fun to paddle in, even if it was hard.” - Middle School Student
“My favorite memory was our first 'off-campus' field trip. After a long winter of wonderful Jessieland visits we ventured out to Old Orchard Beach to follow the Goosefare Brook to the ocean. The students were so excited to be walking through a salt marsh and identifying different parts of a river. We ended up at the beach, the mouth of the river. The sun was out and it was like all of us were taking a much-needed deep breath filled with ocean air and appreciation for how far we'd come. The students jumped off rocks, dipped their toes in the water, and dug holes as deep as they could.” - Elementary School Teacher
“The 100th day of school party in K-1/2" - Elementary School Student
"Playing with friends at school.” - Elementary School Student
What surprised you most about this school year?
“How much more I appreciate my job after several months of being separated from young children. It was the first time in 20 years I went that long without being in the presence of children in a learning environment.” - Early Childhood Teacher
“How quickly the students bonded and how happy they were to be back at school. Everyone was just so happy to be together!” - Elementary School Teacher
“How quickly this year has flown by!” - Middle School Teacher
“Even though we really didn’t like them, we all adapted fairly quickly to wearing masks.” - Middle School Teacher
“The thing that surprised me most about the school year was how soccer crazy my 7/8 students became. I love soccer myself, and very much craved playing after my adult league was cancelled due to Covid. I had no idea that my students' enthusiasm for the game would have me playing multiple times a week here at Breakwater! It was such a great physical release and community building game for the middle schoolers. And I loved getting out to play with them almost every day!” - Middle School Teacher
What's one thing that you learned or that you will take away from this school year?
“I really enjoyed challenging myself this year in a variety of subjects. I learned that perseverance is the only way to stretch your mind and learn more.” - Middle School Student
"Every single part of kindergarten!" - Elementary School Student
“I learned about my Mexican heritage for my Self-Learning Project, and I met people related to me from a different culture. I will try to embrace my Mexican culture from now on.” - Middle School Student
"Reading. We're going to do that for our whole lives and now we know how." - Elementary School Student
