As the country reviews the decisions made during COVID and its impacts on youth, a Clinton education leader anticipates her young students being impacted by COVID.

Jessica Patrick is the Principal of Lincoln and Douglas Elementary Schools. She says while older students are impacted socially and academically, younger students have been affected in their early childhood development.

According to Patrick, lessons that young kids coming into her building this year will have to be taught that in the past, they would already have known.

Resiliency and grit, or a lack thereof, are challenges older youth are faced with according to many education and mental health professionals. Patrick says those will be things they are focused on as young kids go through their buildings in the years ahead.

Patrick indicates they have had some summer programming in the school buildings this summer and held programs late last year to introduce kids to the school setting. Additionally, she offered tips to parents to help prepare their little ones for the new school year in August.