It seems like in a blink of an eye everything changed, and our world was turned topsy-turvy by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grocery stores were out of food, toilet paper was nowhere to be found, and schools--which are in many ways the heart of communities--were closed across the country.

This shook our lives in the Rio Grande Valley. Yet, despite the challenges and difficulties, the relentless love of learning and giving back shines bright as a beacon of hope in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) and brought us closer than ever. While physically our buildings may be closed, our hearts and minds are open and our PSJA Family remains connected.

That love of learning led our team to adopt a plan for continued instruction at home within a week from closures, serve Meals-on-the-Go for our children, and continue being there for our community during the times that they need us the most. During this time of uncertainty, our students, teachers, and administrators are sharing inspiring messages of hope as we continue to navigate through this unknown.

Aware of how the pandemic has affected our community, PSJA ISD has taken strides to look out for families by offering on-demand virtual healthcare and mental counseling services through the PSJA Telemedicine Program. District leaders also united to launch the new PSJA Emotional & Wellness Webinar Series aimed to help employees and families stay strong and healthy during these difficult times. The series features PSJA leaders sharing tips on various topics including meditation, mindfulness, cooking, gratitude, and even family bonding.

At the campus level, our teachers are showing the world how strong they are by teaching remotely while often home-schooling their own children. Coaches and librarians are promoting fitness activities and keeping the love of reading alive. Fine arts directors and students have also united to perform beautiful songs to inspire the community. Parents, who are a child’s first teacher, are also playing a crucial role in helping them remain engaged during this time at home.

As a powerful message of hope and solidarity, our PSJA Stadium Lights shine bright each night reminding our families that we may be apart, but we are in this together.

While this pandemic has been an eye-opening challenge for all of us, we are grateful for the lessons learned. From this, we are learning just how strong we are when we stand together. Distance may keep us apart, but our hearts and minds remain one. We miss our students, staff, and parents dearly, but this will pass, and soon we will be together again.

Stay strong PSJA Family, stay strong Texas!