BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Schools in WNY have it tough this year, but one school in Buffalo is not letting the pandemic limit learning opportunities.
“We’re all a sisterhood, it’s really nice what we have here," said Iyana O'Neal, 7th grader at Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo.
Students at Nativity Miguel's all girls St. Monica campus in Buffalo meet in small groups, socially distant. Like most classrooms in WNY, they’ve spent the past year making adjustments to the learning process.
"We had to find different aspects of how we were gonna teach different things to the young ladies here. At first it was a little bit difficult and then as time rolled around, it became a little bit easier," said Marilyn Solomon-Ward, science and religion teacher of 30 years.
When we caught up with the school this time last year, they were in the middle of that process. They were able to keep their after-school science first program going virtually.
"It’s so fun, it gave us a chance to get out in the world more, touch more things, explore things with our hands," said O'Neal.
Now, one year later, the opportunities are expanding.
"We’ve had Explore and More Museum come in, we’ve had the Herschell Carousel Museum. Our guests are online, but the girls are here, working with them virtually and it’s been a wonderful experience for them,” said Nancy Langer, President of Nativity Miguel.
From making slime, to building circuits, to talking to doctors at Roswell Park.
"And one doctor spoke about the Coronavirus and the girls were very interested in that—like how it came about," said Solomon-Ward.
During a time that’s been so tough on schools in our area, students and teachers at Nativity Miguel say they are nothing but optimistic.
"Teachers have not looked at this as a way of limiting the opportunities for education, it’s really been wonderful, so the girls know how to do things they never did before and the teachers do too," said Langer.
The goal for the future is to keep adding more learning opportunities. They’re a small group of 22 students which allows them to have that one on one learning experience.
And next year they’re looking to add more students to the building, especially 5th graders. For more information on the school and its programs, call 716-852-6854 or visit their website by clicking here.
