Eddie Campbell Jr. knows all about teachable moments.
Monongalia County’s superintendent of schools began his career as a teacher and coach in Virginia.
Campbell’s resume also includes a stint as administrator of an American school in Shanghai and a turn as principal of a high school right below the Arctic Circle in Alaska.
He had one teachable moment right after the other at home this weekend.
The teachers of those teachable moments were Mon’s Class of 2021.
Campbell was on the stage for commencement exercises at Morgantown High, University and Clay-Battelle.
He said Monday he hoped the others in attendance whose high school years were long-past were listening — to the formal speeches, and even the informal chatter, as they filed onto their football fields for their events.
After all, he said, a pandemic makes an impression.
“They were all reflecting on how the obstacles they overcame are going to be make them better people,” Campbell said.
“I think their levels of flexibility and resilience really should be a lesson for all adults.”
COVID-19, in the meantime, is still driving the core experience of the district, on this the last week of school for the 2020-21 year. Students go home for the summer Friday.
Positive cases were noted at University High, Mason-Dixon Elementary and Mountaineer Middle.
The district finished the week with six positive cases among students. Three staffers also presented with positive diagnoses.
Contact tracing also put another 114 students and four more staffers into quarantine.
In the meantime, 1,500 first-time Pfizer vaccines went into the arms last week of Mon middle-schoolers, aged 12 to 15.
That leaves 1,500 middle-schoolers awaiting their second shot, though, with school winding down for the year.
Campbell said the district is talking with state officials to determine how those shots will be delivered.
“Right now, it’s to be determined,” he said. “But everyone will get that next round.”
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