 All right, good afternoon, everyone. Good to see all of you for this CMO call focused on church school partnerships in the midst of this pandemic. Welcome. I want to offer us a kind of centering thought and just a quick word about the purpose of the call before we jump into it. So I just wanted to share a few verses of scripture. This is from Paul's letter to the Philippians. It strikes me as especially relevant to all of us, I'd imagine in these days because these are our words that Paul offers to help us all of us deal with whatever kind of anxiety or stress. That we may be feeling in the midst of all of the ways that our lives continue to be unsettled and and fairly open ended and uncertain looking ahead. And so these are from Philippians chapter four verse four and following to hear these words. I pray their blessing to you rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice. Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. Don't be anxious about anything rather bring up all your requests to God in your prayers and petitions along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. From now on brothers and sisters if anything is excellent. And if anything is admirable focus your thoughts on these things. All that is true all that is holy all that is just all that is pure, all that is lovely and praise. Practice these things, whatever you learned received heard or saw in us, the God of peace will be with you. Let us pray. Holy God in the midst of these anxious and uncertain times. We do pray that that your peace would be like a sentinel standing guard over our hearts. We pray that you would help us to experience a kind of certainty that can only find in you. We pray that you would help our minds to dwell. Not endlessly on our worries and on things we cannot predict and do not know but rather to focus on the things that are worthy and the things that are excellent in your site. We pray that the way that we focus our thoughts in each moment. Have a way of shaping the condition of our souls. God work in us and may your spirit. Continue to shape us for leadership in these days. Grant us your peace it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. So, again, welcome to this call that's focused on ministry with our neighbors specifically through our partnerships with our neighborhood schools. In just a moment Andrew is going to introduce folks we've invited to be on this panel for them to lend their experience and wisdom to us. I just want to share that I have three school age kids who have been at home with me during this pandemic one college age one high school age one middle school age. And it's given me an upfront, you know, front row seat to the ways that our schools and institutions have been adapting and the ways that administrators and teachers and school staffs have all been adjusting to try to do their work under these new conditions. And it creates all kinds of opportunities I think for us to come alongside them in a spirit of support and encouragement and even to amplify their work. We know that our schools in a unique way are on the front lines, helping to feed students and families the way that they do all throughout the school year. And again, creates opportunities for us in the faith community to come alongside them. And just today, you know, my school my kids are now finishing their school year. Each of them they may have like a couple of class sessions left my college student is all done. I found myself thinking this morning about the fall and about the kinds of preparations and possibilities that are again our administrators and teachers are considering and preparing for and wondering what kinds of footholds that might create for us again in the faith community to be a neighbor to them in an important way. So the, you know, the opportunities that have been and that are around the corner are many. And I know we'll get to hear about some of those from our panelists and hopefully dream together a bit about how we can step into our communities in this particular niche and a really profound way. You know, for years now, we have known and we've experienced that by partnering with our neighborhood schools we have a unique way to be in ministry with children and parents and communities all around us. And so hopefully in this conversation will strengthen our efforts in that regard. So again, so glad that all of you are on this call. So Andrew, once you take it from here. All right, thank you Andy. Good morning or good afternoon rather and welcome everyone, one especially welcome those who are serving on our panel conversation today. We have Reverend Holly bandel who serves with first church Dallas as the associate minister for mission and advocacy. We have Reverend Montreal Martin, who's the lead pastor at Wheatland, UMC and also serves as a chaplain with Methodist healthcare system. And then Reverend Dana Coker who's the senior pastor, serving with first United Methodist Church in Bonham, Texas. So, as a way of introducing ourselves and to jump right in. I think helpful to set the context for the kind of work that your church did and that you did with schools before the COVID-19 pandemic. How are you engaged with the schools before then. And anyone feel free to step forward first. This is Patty in Ditten, and we provided all our body we're just going to hold off real quick on the. Just hold that thought and start with the panel first, and then I'd love for you to jump, jump in here in just a bit. So, Holly, would you begin. Sure. So, we've had a partnership with JJ Rhodes learning center, and I'm South Dallas Fair Park for six years. And, and so we've been serving down there in a multitude of different ways. Teachers, teacher appreciation and attendance incentives. Some of our great church leaders like Tom Martin and by Brown that on the call I've been helping us serve in leadership with Dallas ISD on, you know, SBDM committee for the, for the school and really helping us to connect with the school in deeper and deeper ways and so we're. So I would say that over the six year partnership we've had four, five, four or five different principles. And so that has been a part of our story has been able to be willing to transition. So that, that's kind of how we are kind of hands on serving with schools. We also house one plus one Dallas which is a bridge building group really launched from North Texas conference with a one plus one effort to help other faith communities with Dallas ISD schools and so we've been doing that for several years. And finally, we've kind of also put ourselves forward to learn about public education advocacy in the state, and with pastors for Texas children have really found good resource to help us talk to our legislators about public education and the funding that's needed, particularly in Dallas but all over the state for different needs. Thanks Holly and can you just by way of introduction, share a little bit, a little bit about what pastors for Texas children is. Yeah, so they are advocacy a group that works with congregations faith communities all over the state to really empower congregations not only to be in their neighborhood schools but also to take the next step and do what's needed at the state level to really do some legislative advocacy and if you know anything about Texas history of education it's been poorly funded for many years. And the formula we're using is kind of broken at this point and so pastors for Texas children really helps to connect faith communities with a larger need of public education day and now across the US. Great, thanks and if you could find the link to maybe their website. It would be really great to provide there for people who might be interested. Dana, tell us a little bit about your context and the way that first you see Bonham has been engaged in their church relationship. Obviously Bonham is a lot more rural than Dallas and so I would say our program is is has really taken off based on relationships that that have been formed so we started four years ago just by creating prayer buddies in our congregation so everyone on the staff of our partner school we started praying for and we sort of reenlivened adornment mentoring program and from there we were on campus and so started hearing about needs and we're able to respond so we learned that the teachers didn't have enough books in their classroom library so we had a huge book drive and we were doing teacher appreciation meals and pizza cookies and all kinds of stuff but in one of the meals we learned that there was a playground that there was no shade in and the teachers were hot so we put a pergola in there for them, which helped in a lot of ways and I'm interested enough on the campus that they asked me to do the devotional for the staff before start testing and things like that and then we eventually developed a relationship with the superintendent so that once a month any pastor who wants to has breakfast with administrators from all the campuses and so from there we really got expanded reach onto the onto the campuses so that like when there was an ice raid and kids were scared to go to school we were we were able to partner with the school district to find out how to get food to those families and that you know family have a fire they call so that we can assist people like that. We've expanded the backtrack programs to all the campuses now and we've started some close closets on several of the campuses and collect hygiene products and stuff like that. I don't know. I know I'm friends with the administrators now so there's just constant conversation and it's kind of organic but it's driven by their needs and and what they see. Thanks Dana. And in Montreal, could you share a little bit about y'all's relationship with local schools. Absolutely. Good afternoon everyone. So Wheeling sits in the Redbird community of Dallas and there's two particular schools that Wheeling had a relationship prior to my coming there. And so I kind of reestablished those relationships because it kind of went to the wayside. As the membership got had gotten older. They weren't necessarily as engaged with the schools as previously and so upon me getting there. As I do when I go to any any community I kind of did my asset mapping and everything and just seeing what the needs were, but as I was doing that. I noticed. I noticed to two to two boys high school age boys just roaming around Wheatlands campus for those who haven't been necessarily at Wheeling or have been on this campus. It sits on 11 plus acres and with the old with a school building and just open space green space. These two boys they were just just walking around campus and got a chance to just talk, you know, just talk to them and notice that they were kind of that they were number one they were skipping school but number two that they had soil clothing and their hygiene wasn't necessarily up to par. So, just conversing with them. I found out that they were homeless and that they were sleeping in in one of the school buildings on the campus of Wheatland. And so, um, made so I made connections with them in regards to just seeing how their needs can be made and then found out that they went to Carter High School. So, make connection with Carter High School. And just rebate as I said reestablished that that relationship with Carter High School and found out what the needs that they had there on their campus and then also birdie Alexander elementary school. And so both of these schools are in impoverished communities and both schools at the time. About a year and a half of almost two years ago they were, they were at a grade level that the school district that the ISD gives them birdie Alexander were at a level D. Their grade was a D and I think Carter was a C at that time. And so, just so I met with all the administrators and to see how can we land in partnership, assist in whatever needs that we possibly can and so just just being cognizant and noticing some of the needs such as some of the students wearing soil clothing, you know when I visit these schools and just noticing these needs. I started a laundry where we then started a laundry center program with short which was short lived due to the fires on our campus, but that was one program that we were able to just assist in and then also with mentoring the young man who have fathers in their lives or adult man to be that surrogate father or be a somewhat of a role model in their lives. And that's just simply just sitting down myself sitting down in the classroom at birdie or at Carter with that young man because I can relate to them, not only because I'm black. But also I can relate to them because, you know, I didn't have a father in my life and so just making that that relationship and so mentoring was a is another big piece. Also, haircuts, we noticed that some of the students didn't have access to not only showers and laundry but they also couldn't afford a haircut and so partnering with the barber shop to come and set up shop on campus. So we have a barber shop on campus and the students can come and receive a free haircut every two weeks at no charge and so that's just some of the things that we're that we're doing in partnership with those schools. That's great. So I wonder, you know, Holly Dana Montreal jump in as you as you feel led. What did you first start to notice and hear from your school partners about the needs that were emerging once COVID-19 really set in around here. The first big thing was just to scramble to make sure everybody was being fed. We were a pretty. We have a pretty high degree of poverty in our area so all of our kids receive a free breakfast because it's easier than trying to separate the few that could afford it so that was the first scramble and and to figure out how to get the backpacks to continue to go out. But I think everyone thought it was just going to be a few weeks and so I think kind of. I think the school district thought if we can just hold on for three weeks will be fine food, you know it'll be alright but the longer that this has gone on. You know, there's a whole lot of kids that don't have internet and don't have devices to do online learning in a in the same way that kids with means have and so that's a, that's a long term issue of how to creatively get them access to their teachers in the same way that the kids that can afford it can and I don't think we've solved that problem in this school semester. They sort of have three different plans going forward for the summer and the fall and nobody knows which plan they're going to get to enact and so I can see long term that being a issue that we've got to address it can't keep going that same way. Or we're just going to have a huge divide and learning. But mental health is the other big thing. Like halfway through this. I started asking teachers, how are you I know you're checking on all of us but how are you. And you know 4550 minutes later, I was realizing that they weren't really okay and so we're trying to figure out ways to provide some of the outlets for teachers that are isolated and stressed out and grieving the, the weird loss to their school year. Well, thanks Dana. Yeah same for same for us I mean it was all about food, I think for the first three weeks or so just make getting, making sure that everybody could get fed it was a real scramble for lunch employees and staff to figure out how to make all that work I mean in Dallas, everybody get you know all the children get to get option for free breakfast and lunch and so that's at some point they said a half a million meals a week for Dallas I see students and their families. And so that just became at the forefront of how do you logistically operate that so we did we sent volunteers out to do that in different schools and it's time when the sensing things kind of got better. And, you know, just wanted to be supportive of what needed to happen. And basically for our administrator at our school and for our teachers, it kind of was radio silence because everything changed overnight. And so it's longer where we meeting in person we're meeting virtually. And for those that had access I think Danny access is a huge issue. Dallas is, is, is beginning to address that really head on at one point they said 90% of students were online and working. And so I mean two points of that one is the actual physical capability, right of having Wi-Fi in the home or hotspot or something. And the second is someone to pay for it. And so I think those are two huge issues going forward I know that Dallas I see is addressing head on so eventually we reached out to our administrator and our people we knew at the school and had good personal relationships and then they really just and it took them a couple weeks to kind of like get their head above water and say, Okay, like, like my teachers aren't well is what we heard. And so, Dr Stoker at our church went and got on a staff call and did some techniques and did a little bit of spiritual and mental wellness kinds of things on that staff meeting. I went by last week and dropped off stress balls because I knew they were going to be coming in. And you should have seen the principal space we actually it was a really amazing God moment I drove up at 8am. She's driving in at 8am. Neither of us know the other one is coming right so it was really one of those moments to add a presence, a socially distanced presence and some care and I do think that. I don't get to the going forward stuff but I do think this is where we as play communities can have a real honest spiritual wellness presence with our schools by just doing things that are even unexpected. I mean, what what these teachers would love for a cookie when they when they are going up to pack up their rooms or a box lunch or or just to know that someone cares. I think is a is a real concern so it did take us some weeks to kind of be in touch with our partners but I think, for the most part, our school partners right now are are are just are are needing some support and encouragement and spiritual presence. Right. And Montreal what you know what were the things that you, you know first noticed and heard from from the schools that you work with. Initially was probably for both schools. It was transportation. Some parents there. They rely on either public transportation, or the, or DISD transportation and so with the lack there of in the rules and the policies that were in place of, you know, having to have a car to, to know pick the food up and and everything. Some parents were just not able to do that so that was one initial problem that we that we had to address and then another one was probably the lack of food for a household. So, as some of you may know, you know, the the families here in this at these schools. So, they may have a child that goes to that school, who that meal is provided to, however, they're still five to six other, whether children or adults that's living in that household that's undocumented or don't they don't know about so therefore they're unaccounted for and so. So we had that that that initial problem as well. So, just the overwhelm model feelings of, you know, will there be enough food for me, my kids, I just lost my job and so, but all this just happening at once that caused a huge, a lot of anxiety, not only for the parents but also for teachers and staff of these schools and so in the volunteers as well and so a lot of volunteers they they came together and from what I know to help and whatever way they can to address those things so. Thanks. So, what I'm wondering is, you know, how have you know since that first week or two, how have the needs changed with the schools and students and families and staff and teachers. And like what, what's the situation on the ground now, like this week. I think the stress sort of snowballs. So, you know, parents are either working and trying to teach at home or they don't have a job and are trying to teach at home and both scenarios are ridiculously stressful and. And so, the longer this has gone on it has mounted that pressure and, and I think at the beginning a whole lot of families were finding ways at the beginning to sort of make it through. But I just see an increasing desperation at our emergency food distributions and I don't know I just think. I think it takes an increasingly larger toll. So, mental health has become really my major mental health as it relates to it that manifests itself in so many different ways whether that's child abuse or domestic violence or or just depression or, you know, I think it manifests itself in a whole lot of ways but I like the stress pile idea Holly we, we, we started a super, we call it Tuesday super suppers and it's a hot meal instead of the emergency food box type of a thing. And we did that because we think there's more joy in a home cooked hot meal and you would be amazed at how fast we ran out of food. So, we're trying to do things that bring some joy on top of just meeting the basic needs because if they're surviving but joylessly, we have a larger problem going forward I think. Thanks Montreal Holly, how things change where things today. I think ditto to Dana the needs in Dallas are just increasing and I think getting more desperate and so I mean we were contacted this week about from the city about doing some kind of milk distribution and so I mean I just think that there's just going to be greater and greater and greater needs you don't don't quote me on the milk, I don't know how it's going to work out but but I just feel like across the city. I think that it's, it's, it's getting and and I think, you know, the family at home, and how you deal with that longer time, without, you know, many childcare options, camps and things that are regularly done to really help parents work in the situation this summer, I think there are two kind of cycles in my mind going on, what's going to happen in summer how we're going to feed all these kids over the summer. We're going to do the same things we're doing we're going to do other things. How, how do kids maintain a sense of schedule and kind of having some opportunity in the summer. And, and that allows parents to either get a break or get a go to work, I mean however that might need to work. I think we're going to figure out how our kids safe at home for the six extended period of time. And so, so I think all of those things are in my mind and then I think there's another cycle of how are we going back to school. There, there are so many plans right now it's really hard to judge what that's going to be like, we're being looped in with our school and Dallas I see on some of those plans, just to kind of, you know, figure out how can we plug in as partners in that. I think the, so there's no way to speculate that I just think the being in touch with the school is really important. One of the things that we began to embrace at our church is a thing called care portal I'm going to put it in the chat. And it is basically an online way of CPS workers, Dallas ISD counselors and community liaisons administrators, putting in needs of families. And then, as a faith community once we're trained on it and entered in the system, we can spawn respond directly to that case worker to fulfill the needs of children vulnerable children and their families. And it's, it's, you know, kind of across the state in many different places, and by Browns who's on the call is one of our members that is related directly to to care for I'll put his information in the care portal link in there. But we've had a couple of times where we were responded I got a call one day from that there was a one coming online of a nine year old goal who was in the hospital. Who was a Dallas ISD student and needed clothing that would help her recover. And so we, you know, responded to that need. And whether it's clothing or glasses or beds or, you know, whatever the need may be for that food for that family to really have an opportunity to face me to rally around some of these families during during this time of crisis because we know the need is just the increase. So I hope that's helpful. Yeah, so kind of I echo what the Dana and Holly just mentioned, especially with the increase of need for food pantry but no one is accepting new app, new applications to their food banks. And so you have that anxiety. And then with school with school getting ready to formerly in this the school here. You have that that component as well and so just hearing from families and parents, single mothers single fathers, grandmothers who are taking care of their grandchildren school age and grandchildren, just hearing from them. It's already it was already hard enough, pre this pandemic. Now you add this component, you add this layer of hardship on. It's, it's very overwhelming. According to one one grandmother who told me just speaking with her it was very it's very overwhelming. She was speaking with the these the stimulus or deal that the city put out, which, you know, most families didn't even qualify for. And so, just that level of just that level of anxiety that that roller coaster, it's a roller coaster of emotions for most of these families that that are in these schools and so one way that the women is responding to this is we're partnering up with a organization to provide hot meals throughout the summer and probably for the next school year but we're going to see how this summer goes first through what I notice and just hearing just and always always go off of what I hear from these families just hearing from them, the food that the food that they receive is not adequate enough. I mean it goes, it gives it gives breakfast lunch, but we all know kids are active and everything. And so they need to say they need to snack here then you got the older kids who's growing their maturing and everything and so they need they need food and so about time it gets to dinner time. You know, it's very limited and so. So we're partnering with the organization to provide them a hot meal. Monday through Friday. And so. And so that's one way as well as hygiene items and those those basic necessity, essential items that that that sometimes we take granted for so just providing those things, as well as prayer. I'm a Hamilton Park voluntary and just just just hearing them one guy said no, what else can we do for him was the question that was asked, and he said, I don't have a church home I just need prayer. I don't know how how I'm going to get through this. And so I just need some guidance and so, you know, just just attended to their spiritual need as well and not to over burden them with that spiritual need but just listening out make sure we listen out for that that component and need as well. We're trying our best to do as well. So, but that's, that's how we're that's what's happening on the ground now, families just worried with school letting out this week next week. You know, what are we going to do with some schools so I know Carter and birdie there they will continue to provide breakfast only after the school year ends, but they still have that lunch and they still need that dinner and so I'm just working with those administrators and teachers who want to continue to keep this relationship keep this momentum going, because we don't know what this this upcoming school year may bring we just don't know. And so, if we can somehow just keep, keep this relationship keep this conversation going. And that's what we're trying to do. As far as our partnerships. So my next question is, you know, as you look toward the summer and this next school year, what are you hearing and seeing. So I hear you saying, you know, Montreal you're really just trying to keep that relationship up, work with the meals. Others, what are you hearing and seeing about the next school year. You, Dana and Holly have spoken a little bit to that. Keeping their relationship up through these unknowns. I. It's so hard to plan very far ahead because things seem to change so quickly right now. So I'm, you know, I'm communicating with the superintendent, at least once a week and she's not sure what's going to happen, even the summer and so it's so so I don't know if I don't, I just don't know Andrew, I think it's a really fluid situation and, and I do have in the back of my mind, if, if we can't get FaceTime with these kids. We absolutely have to figure out this technology gap, because it, it is just crucial that that these kids aren't falling behind, not only falling behind but falling behind at different rates. It's just going to create a disparity that is will be increasingly hard to overcome the long longer this last so so I don't, I don't know if we're going to have to go full throttle on that yet. I know they don't want to. I know they want to get back to FaceTime, which so so I really don't know other than being in constant contact with the, the principals and superintendent so that we're right there as soon as a decision is made we can start working but I would imagine, I would imagine food will become a bigger deal this summer because the school has been financing so much of the distribution for the kiddos. We're going to have to step up our game in our distributions. Okay. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think the food is is number one in trying to address all of the summer and we know that like in Dallas eviction moratoriums are being lifted and different ways and in different ways. And so we just know that for for children that are already vulnerable and their families that that is just going to create, you know, more hunger in our communities and so that's a major concern in Dallas is to be watching how those moratorium on evictions as they release who who needs who can't pay for a home. And so now not only you got hunger you got no no and so then all basic needs are slipping away are slipping away fast. I think in terms of the education realm. Virtual learning I think I think it's just going to be what we do it at some level for for a long time. And so for us as partners that means kind of where we are kind of changing the way we're pushing that how do we do tutoring online, how do we do mentoring online. So we get that up at the beginning of the school year, so that we're not having to change course mid school year. And so things like, you know, we get permission from parents to read to kids. Well, we need to get permission to do that virtually. So that and we're ever back in the situation. We have that capability online and ready to go and our tutors trained and all of that kind of stuff. I think the other thing. I think one of the things to to really watch, and this is kind of 30,000 feet, but in our state what we're going to see is a run on resources in all different areas because there's so many hungry jobless people. Not only that were before and without health care, but now even more. And so what what happens in our kind of disaster public education funds is going to take a hit, and that's going to make it even harder. And so I think to be connected to some organizations for your for your partners be that that are kind of following this funding on the state level around public education, so that we can really secure that I already see some of our people in our state leveraging charter schools again. And we can have a long question about that play the bottom line is charter schools as a whole, very poorly. There are exceptions if you're part of school, I don't need a nasty gram but But as a whole, they just don't perform well at all. And so we are already seeing applications for charter schools across our state to come and do virtual learning. And I just would say I'm very uncomfortable with that at this point and it seems like an opportunistic kind of thing in a time when people are really hurting and needing basic needs. And so I think to be connected to pastors for Texas children, Texas impact, some of these organizations that can help us know what's going on with funding in the state, and being aware of that state legislature meets in January. And so these. And so this is the time to get read up on what that advocacy would need to be looked like so that's 3000 feet. I know we've talked about the on the ground stuff or I hope I hope that's helpful. That's really helpful to mention the, the 30,000 feet piece because you know so many of us I think are engaged. Day to day on the ground, it's can be sometimes really difficult to see what this kind of advocacy pieces, especially when there's so many headlines. Making news and possibly drawing those things out. And we know, you know, those of you who may be in smaller communities to have the state be able to be an advocate and have the backs of school systems in our communities. So that means that the stress that is put on faith communities, other nonprofits is lessened. If we can fully fund and support our education systems through through these times, and normal times should be said. So there's, there's a lot going on in terms of the, the many forces that are affecting the children that our churches care about that. Many of you who are already engaged in your schools will have faces come to mind of children that you work with. Day in and day out kids that go to your church kids that you mentor and tutor. And it is overwhelming I think for some of us to think through these factors of food access to virtual learning, having a stable parent and home environment. They're able to help that student focus and concentrate on the virtual learning environment, which is hard enough for those that are very secure in their, in their life. And so we want to really be able to be in prayer for them. I would love to open it up at this time for what others are seeing in their environments and oh patty you had if you're still with us. Had some things that you found helpful. In your context. Do you have questions for our panel or things that you're seeing patty. Yeah, what we've run into, which I feel like everybody else has run into as well, is once everything hit, we were pretty well locked out. We did a, the food where we take the food to them, and they could no longer receive outside food. So it had to come from their cafeteria. So once we finally got everything going then we were allowed to help with the distribution of this of the food at that point but we've been working also there's a school at the at the jail. And we have been working through them and they did not shut us out at that stage but we really we're working primarily with the teachers, again providing that mental support and the little perks for the teacher so I think the next the school year is going to be very challenging to see what we can do and I appreciate hearing what I was been done because it gives me some directions to look and see what is going on. So I appreciate the input that the panel has given us. Thank you. And patty remind us where you're serving. I'm in Denton Trinity Trinity in Denton. Great thanks patty. Oh there's Martha. Yeah, um, we're real concerned as Dana mentioned about what this is going to do the academic academics of the kids so one of the things we've decided is to just put as many books and kids hands as we can this summer. We're working with the apartment complexes to put books in the laundry rooms for working with all the food distribution people to put books, you know, give out books. I know a DISD has sent is sending out packets to kids as well. But that that test seems like the most helpful thing we could do it to arms length but maybe it'll make a difference. That's right there is a great disparity in our communities in terms of access to books ordinarily and then it makes a huge difference in terms of reading. So that's a great idea. Others. Andrew, I just wanted to mention, I think this is a good opportunity for churches that maybe have had an on and off relationship with schools or maybe haven't been in touch. Since all this happened to reach out and in the school year by kind of reintroducing yourself to the school, because I think what can happen is then the school as they're making plans this summer whatever comes in the fall. They can say oh we have this research resource of this neighborhood school and so I think even if you're, you know, maybe not in a relationship or want to restart or something like that. I'm glad to help resource on that but I do think just in reaching out because this is also a big time for kids making transitions, fifth graders going to middle school and all of that. I really feel like that, that we can aid in that we we understand those transitions in the church and in our faith communities and it can be welcome maybe support to say, I even asked our principal she said I don't know we're new fifth graders I said well, you know, let let us know because we we might be able to pull off some ideas, but we always want to take the lead of the school. And so if the school's not ready to do something, then we just lay back and wait, but I don't think it can hurt to just ask those questions and to say, we're here when you're ready to make decisions about that and we're glad to be supportive of what you decide is best. That's a great word. Amy. Yeah, I'm from Christ Church and farmers branch. And so we normally have mentors and readers in our schools, and we've been reached out to by the mentor leader to see if we can still make those connections. And but then after that it's, it's a challenge to get those finalized because you have to get the permission from the parents to allow you to either video into their home basically. We're kind of at a stuck point right now. And so I have a question on who, who do you suggest we reach out to at the schools. So that we can help like I don't think we need to go directly to the superintendent is there somebody that you suggest that we go to, in order to be able to kind of start that process and move along the process. To get mentoring going in the first place. I mostly worked with the school counselor, and the principle of that particular campus. And so my guess is that it would be a combination effort. I mean, we already have a mentor system put together at the school. I'm even just saying the ones that currently already have a student that they mentor. We're trying to get that connection back may not even to start new mentoring that one connection going so we already have that with our church and three of our schools so we're trying to kind of keep that connection moving. So it's a matter of the technology. It's that it's all our kids that are in mentoring relationships are the exact same kids that don't have access to what we're finding yet. So who is it that you guys suggest that we reach out to at the schools. So for us, I'm in Coppell, and we have a we've had a seven year partnership with our schools, and it was the counselor and those students that didn't have access to internet and computers actually our church stepped in and and fill that gap so we paid for internet access. And then we also have actually had other members step up to provide the technology to do that. So our mentors and when this all happened. We then had the ability we use our school system is actually using all the same system. And so they gave us permission on the platform to have our mentors meet online, and because we were providing those services. We have that long relationship of trust. And but it was the counselors and then the school nurses, and they identified other students that would kind of just needed a holy listener. And so, and we've actually provided mentors just for holy listening, sort of like even minister for children and youth. They just kind of stand in the gap and they listen. And then they're able to, you know, if they see anything then they've got this kind of covenant relationship with counselors and nurses to say hey, this family needs to be looked at something's going on here and they need some help. But again, our church provides the resources and tools. We partner with the pastoral counseling service center, and we provide sessions of therapy. So again, it's all of the relationships and they know that their services that are connected so then they they've been more open to it. That's fabulous. Mary Harris. This is Mary Harris. I'm at first Denton, and we have a long standing relationship with one elementary school but then of course our students move out to other schools, and we follow them. Amy our mentoring program is through communities in schools. And so they have social workers in the schools where we are, and our contact for the type of thing you're looking for would be the school social worker. You're making me realize though, they won't be working over the summer so I really need to be working with them now for the kind of connections that we're going to need in the fall. But if we did not have those social workers. I agree with Martha I would go to the counselors. They're the ones who could who have the best chance of filling in those home relationships. You did a thing that in retrospect was really lucky in November. Our church has an alternative gift fair where we raise money for many missions and I do a boost for our school partnership. I asked the principal of our primary school what he sees as the most important need. He said Chromebooks for special ed students. And this may be true of your school to the special ed students were not included in the district's technology budget because the school was depending on the federal special education funds to pay for Chromebooks for them and then the funds didn't cover technology. So I wasn't sure how people would respond to this request, but especially older members of the church who somewhere earlier in their lives had been involved with the special needs child gave generously and we were able to provide Chromebooks for the kids at our school who didn't have them. Other schools have PTAs, but we don't. So this was by by a lot of great investment. But those need the school districts are going to be purchasing technology all summer. Not just computers, but hotspots and lots of refinements that were not available last year. Thank you, Mary. Other other questions. I hope that's helpful, Amy. Any other questions that you would like to get some help with. Is that Martha. Go ahead. I think we've got some technical difficulties. Safety issue of. Oh, it's not working. Could you restate the question. Yeah, I'm wondering if anyone else has had problems with the issue of can we have a volunteer online with a student is there are there dangers to that that we need to consider or take cautions about. I think if school districts haven't already worked on this, they will be in a greater way around volunteers and technology. Like I know things like when we go through the Dallas ISD training, it's like, you know, don't texture students stuff like, you know, there's some basic guidelines that they have. I think all of those are going to have to be in specific training put around best practices around technology and mentoring. I haven't seen anything if anyone has I'd love to take you up on that one too because I just haven't. I haven't seen it. I don't know how much of that exists yet. Right, these are new realities facing us. Well, I'm kind of sit that our time is is about up and I want to thank, thank you Holly and Montreal and Dana for your time today. And for all of the rest of you who have been able to be a part of this conversation. Ed, you have Ed Lance from is said my wife is an elementary school counselor she thinks that most counselors will be available through the first week of June and then again starting the first week of August, and it will be hard to get a hold of someone in July. Okay, that's that's helpful for those of us who need to get these relationships built. Yeah, and that that's not a definitive statement that was just what that that's just kind of her thought on, you know, school districts across the country that in July it's going to be really, really hard to get a hold of administrators and counselors and so forth. Thank you Ed. Okay, anything else you'll need tied up. Okay, well Andy would you offer us a prayer, keep in mind these students and teachers and staff and and families that we're working with and thinking about these days. Again, thanks Montreal, Dana Holly for leading us in this conversation and for all of you in the ways that you are on the ground. Working, working with the students and families in your communities. The prayer that God will open doors for all of you this summer and fall to offer a witness to the love of Christ. So, to receive this benediction. Thank you so much for coming forth and even though the faces and the needs of so many students may be hidden from so many in the world may may we see them, and may we see them as God sees them, and may the spirit move in us to respond to them, help and hope in a graceful way. God bless you all in your ministry in the days to come. Amen. Amen. And we'll offer this video will be recorded and edited and posted on our website, along with some notes and links that may be helpful. Thanks, y'all.