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How a Fox Lake school principal is keeping students connected through social media

Posted March 20, 2020 1:00 am

Paul Valade

Stanton School Principal Jeff Sefcik has been using Twitter to post photos from around the Fox Lake school to keep students and parents connected during the coronavirus closure. Courtesy of Stanton School

He uses #ProudPrincipal when tweeting about the accomplishments of his students. But since schools have closed due to COVID-19 concerns, #lonelyprincipal has become his go-to hashtag.

Principal Jeff Sefcik is one of six people still working inside Fox Lake's Stanton School in District 114. Three custodians and two kitchen staffers join him.

This week, Sefcik was looking for ways to stay connected with the students. He and some of his staff have been posting videos and photos on the school's Twitter account, Stanton School Foxes (@D114Stanton). The account has almost 400 followers.

At the school there are close to 100 painted ceiling tiles, most featuring words of encouragement. Photos of the tiles have been the subject of Sefcik's tweets since Wednesday. He plans to keep the Twitter posts going as long as schools are closed.

"I really feel for our kids ... all kids really. For so many, school is a safe place to connect, feel loved, challenged and cared for. A place to get a hot meal," Sefcik said. "The staff at D114 goes above and beyond for our kids, and I fear some are really feeling lost and disconnected at this point."

Elsewhere in the district, Lotus School Principal Matt Peters and Assistant Principal Natalie Udstuen delivered craft bags and books to each preschool home on Thursday. And on Friday morning, Stanton School parents could pick up "three for me" sack lunches at the school to get them through the weekend.

District 114 parents can get updated COVID-19 information at www.d114.org/covid-19.

Stanton School Principal Jeff Sefcik is posting encouraging videos from the Fox Lake school to keep students and parents connected during the coronavirus closure. He gives virtual hugs, high-fives and fist bumps to his students in the videos. Courtesy of Stanton School

Stanton School Principal Jeff Sefcik has been posting photos of ceiling tiles on the school's Twitter account. The Fox Lake school principal has been using social media to keep students and parents connected during the coronavirus closure. Courtesy of Stanton School

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