My son is in his eighth week of kindergarten using the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance program. He is thriving, and that's all thanks to the educators in this state logging onto their laptops in the morning to deliver the day's lesson plans.

My wife and I made the decision back in mid-August to have our son begin his first year of Twin Falls' kindergarten at home. This decision was made due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Idaho affecting young children. The state, like many, continues to see a large number of cases of the virus being reported on a weekly basis.

Aside from a couple of family trips out-of-state where we showed extreme caution regarding our son's welfare, he hasn't had very much interaction with kids since the pandemic began last year. We just aren't willing to put him in a situation where someone else's beliefs, or carelessness, could expose him to the virus. We are looking forward to hopefully having him start the first grade in a classroom of his peers.

I come home during my lunch hour and check in on him. I monitor his learning, and prepare lunch for him Monday through Thursday, so my wife can focus on the work she does from home. He is always engaged and excited, and the teachers are doing an incredible job educating these students in this manner.

He has two primary teachers through IDLA, and both live locally. Mrs. Warriner handles English Language Arts / Literacy (ELA), and Mrs. Reed teaches our boy math. They are both heroes of mine, because I know my son is getting the information he needs--in a way he can understand it--and isn't being exposed to the virus in a classroom setting.

I want to thank all the online educators across the state that are delivering needed lessons to our kids through laptop computers. You all deserve high praise for the difference you are making. As a parent, I'm very grateful.

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