The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard the Taylorville High School principal, during their weekly meeting Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Matt Hutchison has been a part of the Taylorville school district for some 26 years, with the last 6 being the high school principal.  Hutchison talked about the challenges he, his staff, and the school district faced starting in March of 2020 when schools across the state were shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Hutchison said the school district adapted to educate students remotely the rest of the school year.

He told Kiwanis members that the fall of 2020 began with all students in remote learning, which continued until the second semester in early 2021.  

Hybrid learning started in the second semester, with students in their respective buildings 2 days a week and remote learning the other 3.  He added having students in the high school building was a morale booster for him, the administrative staff, and teachers.  

And in the 4th quarter of the school year, all students returned to in-person learning.

Hutchison said he was proud of his staff and the T-H-S students for adapting during a very difficult school year which just concluded.  The coming school year will begin with all students attending.

The T-H-S principal cited to the Kiwanis members, the many awards and achievements earned by students during the past school year despite adverse circumstances, including having 26 Illinois state scholars.