SE Illinois News

Natalie Fry, principal of East Side Intermediate School in Harrisburg, has won a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. 

According to the Du Quoin Call, president of the Golden Apple Award Foundation Alan Mather says Fry is one of only two southern Illinois educators to win the prestigious award in 2020.

"We need leaders in education who know how to determine fact from fiction, look at the data and facts with a critical eye and make critical decisions," Mather told the Call. "Something Natalie also understands is the importance of social and emotional learning."

Fry said she and her staff at East Side are committed to that side of education.

"Social and emotional needs are high on our priority list," Fry said.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the school district initiated its remote learning program. Fry said remote learning is more challenging for teachers because in addition to coming up with lesson plans, the teachers also have to memorize each of the student's needs.

"That means learning their name, where they're from, what their interests are, and incorporating that into learning," Fry said. "With COVID-19, we lost that, though we're trying to stay connected with as many students as possible."

Mather says there are both pros and cons to keeping students at home.

"More than anything else, this has defeated the argument to just do virtual learning," Mather said. "There certainly are good reasons for it, and for adults who are working on a college degree, it makes sense. Maybe they have a full-time job or other reasons to use online learning."

But Mather says that a student's social interaction is paramount to the learning apparatus.

"When you're talking about children, socialization is an essential part of learning," she said. "They have to learn how to get along with others and develop empathy."