OLEAN, N.Y. — As Beth Ann Owens took a short break from instructing her third-grade Southern Tier Catholic School class, one of the students came up and asked if she could help Owens fix her glue stick.

The in-person attention and teaching Owens provides to her students have been offered the entire school year at the elementary school and Archbishop Walsh Academy, which are celebrating their 100 days of school this week and next.

Lee Filbert, assistant principal, said the Catholic campus has been able to provide in-person teaching for 100 days during the pandemic “not because of one thing, but because of several little things.”

“We have a mandatory screening at the door each day (and) teachers know to keep students 6 feet apart, for example,” Filbert said. “I would also say it is 100% a group effort. When you’re at Walsh, you’re part of the family. No one wants to put anyone else in danger, so because of the constant effort by our teachers, staff, students, and especially the parents, we were able to complete this task that I’m sure at the beginning seemed daunting.”

Filbert noted that another factor in the school’s favor is the small class size.

“When we did feel it was necessary to quarantine, because of our space and our class sizes, it did not compromise the health of other students,” he added. “What we do here is give our students a quality education, but we are also teaching the leaders of tomorrow, and from the past 100 days everyone stepped up and played a significant role in keeping our Walsh family safe.”

Thomas Manko, president and principal of Walsh and STCS, said the celebration has been nice to observe, mainly because it is an indication that school life is somewhat back to normal.

“There’s things that you can still do, even though you have to be socially distant,” Manko said. “You can still do (the activities) and have fun.”

Owens, who also serves as the elementary curriculum coordinator, said the students have participated in several 100 day activities during the week.

“We also had kind of a fashion show done in the gymnasium,” Owens said. “Each grade got to go up on the stage and got to present all of their (decorated) T-shirts. We did all of that while remaining socially distant between our grades, that’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to be in-person so much.”

Owens said teachers and staff also have done their “due diligence” in keeping rooms and desks clean between grades and following protocols that include the wearing of masks.

She noted the school has been open throughout the school year, except for one two-week period when it was closed in the fall to clean the campus.

“We’re not suggesting that other (schools) are not doing that, and I’m sure we have some advantage because of the size of our school, so that has allowed us a little bit of an advantage,” Owens remarked.

A student named Ginger said she is glad she can go to school everyday, and misses her friends, and the class pet turtle, Rogers, when she’s not in school.

“Sometimes I like playing with my Furbies (at home), but here I like playing with Legos, and I like Mrs. Owens,” she added.

Another student named Ben said he liked being in school, instead of on the computer for remote learning.

“It’s easier to learn here in school because the teacher is helping you,” Ben said.

Owens added, “I think most kids appreciate school a little more now than they did last year.”