NAVASOTA, Texas — It's finally 2023, and with the last two years being a full plate of chaos throughout the education industry, educators are looking to start the year off right with a clean slate.
In Navasota, the Navasota Independent School District returned back to the classrooms on Jan. 9 with a focus on their students.
Superintendent Dr. Stu Musick also shared how thrilled he was to get student adjusted back into the swing of things.
"We had a good fall semester and showed a lot of progress. Still got a lot of work to do but that happens, and it gears up and kind of ramps up in the springtime," said Musick.
Despite a learning gap because of COVID-19, they're starting the new year strong in test results. It gave the district a pleasant end to 2022, according to the superintendent.
"Getting back in the routine of things and being around all the staff and students, and all the spring activities, spring time is the busiest time of year. It's all the stuff that I enjoy being around," stated Musick.
Musick continued, saying "Navasota ISD not only held our ground but actually went up in our reading scores and our math scores and our progress that we made across the board."
Now, they're looking to carry that same energy through the spring semester.
"While we want to make sure we're teaching the whole child, that's all part of being a student all part of going to school and making learning a priority," explained Musick.
The things that make up school are what Musick missed the most during the turbulent times. While bringing in new processes and methods is what Navasota has had to do to keep up, nothing will replace the traditional learning that will carry the district this year, according to the superintendent.
"Nothing takes the place of being back in the classroom, being face to face, and having a live teacher teaching and students live and in person learning," said Musick.