JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There are two weeks left until students are out of school for the summer in Duval County. For many, this school year was different and more challenging.
COVID-19 closed schools and forced parents to learn how to teach. Teachers had to figure out how to reach their students in creative ways.
"Hey parents, we say thank you," sang Marcia Medders. She's a 2nd-grade teacher at New Berlin Elementary.
She teamed up with her co-teacher, Kari Dulls, to record a video of them performing an original song for parents. Medders said it only took her 15 minutes to write the song as a thank you to her students' parents for stepping up during this time.
“I went online to look and see if there were any songs for parents and I couldn’t find any so I thought maybe I could just make one," said Medders.
"Hey parents, we appreciate you," Medders wrote in the song. "You didn't sign up to be a teacher. You didn't sign up to be a creature. We know you didn't ask for this."
Dulls played the maracas in the performance and added her own comedic touch, though she says she's struggling as well.
“It’s been a lot. Really kind of hard on me as well trying to balance being there for my classroom students and still trying to be there for my son and daughter," Dulls said. She explained that she has a special needs son.
"I can remember one day reaching out and calling his ESE teacher and just crying because it was too hard. It is hard," said Dulls.
Medders sang "parents, it'll soon be over" and it will. School will be out on May 29.
New Berlin Elementary has about 1200 students, Medders tells First Coast News, but the song applies to anyone in the situation due to COVID-19.