DOTHAN, Ala. – Dothan City Schools may have cancelled school today but their staff is still working. Not grading papers or creating lesson plans but working on the first step of keeping them and their students safe.
A weight has finally been lifted off the shoulders of hundreds of Dothan City School employees.
“They have been on the front line for a year and a half now, day to day, working to make sure that were still providing services to our children whether it’s in the classroom, in a bus, serving meals, all kind of services were providing. We are extremely thankful for the folks here to be able to offer this opportunity,” Dr. Dennis Coe, acting superintendent for Dothan City Schools said.
Receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was the a step in the right direction.
“As a teacher, as a educator I’m concerned, I want to be safe. I want to be safe, I want to keep my own family safe so this is very important to me to have this done so that I can go back to school and be in peace,” Cheryl Morrow, Spanish teacher at Beverlye Middle School said.
For some, this opportunity meant getting a second chance at a lost opportunity.
“I mean we lost our season last year and a couple of sports have done so since then. So I think doing the best thing that we can do to protect the kids and keep them on the field and in school is the best thing for them, keeping them in a routine. Allowing that to happen is just a big step forward for the kids futures,” Alex Sanford, P.E. teacher/head baseball coach at Dothan High School said.
The option to get vaccinated was offered to not only full time DCS staff but individuals who play a crucial role in their school system.
“It will provide us with that level of comfort that we haven’t had to this point, we’re actually also including our long term substitutes will also be vaccinated. So we can’t forget them. We have had a substitute shortage but we have had other substitutes who have been faithful and who have helped us keep school going,” Coe said.
