Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Sept 20: A buzz of joyous activity prevailed in the Loyola High School campus as the prestigious institution prepared to welcome back students of Stds VI to VIII after a COVID-19 enforced 18 month hiatus. The classrooms have been decorated with coloured balloons and festoons reflecting the breathless anticipation of the School’s faculty and staff members who had been painfully missing the disciplined silence and the playful chirps and din of students through the crawling 18 months. Loyola School Principal, Rev Fr Pius Fernandes SJ seemed to have rediscovered his trademarked zest when he exclaimed excitedly, “We saw them last when they were in short pants but now, after 18 lonely months they will be back again in trousers…we are all waiting with bated breath to have them back. We love them and their presence is nothing short of God’s glory.”
Fr Pius Fernandes called a meeting of teachers of Stds VI to VIII and gave them special instructions on how to deal with these children who were about to reenter the portals of their School after a break of 18 months. “Go slow with them. Spend the first few days just getting to know the students and helping them to acclimatize with the new surroundings. They will sing, dance, tell stories, share experiences and watch movies, before plunging into formal studies.”
Not to miss out on the excitement of having the children back, the faculty and staff of Loyola High School exuded the love they harbored for the young ones. Sushma Singh, Class Teacher of Std VI C stated, “We are more excited than the students themselves to resume offline classes. Spending time with their friends in school will help revive their social skills. Hopefully they will soon settle down to the new normal.”