A longtime science teacher at DeRenne Middle School in Savannah died of COVID-19 on Saturday, WSAV reported.
The community is mourning the loss of Angela Sistrunk, who was “the rock for new and old teachers,” according to the station.
“We could count on her for anything,” Alana Sandefur, who is a sixth-grade social studies teacher at the school, told WSAV.
“She had an old-school way of presenting the material and kids loved it,” Sandefur told the news outlet. “Even if they hated science, they loved going to her. She made it funny, she made it comical, she made it interesting, and she made all those kids feel loved and special.”
Sistrunk was vaccinated against the coronavirus but, according to Sandefur, had some preexisting medical issues, WSAV reported.
Staff members with medical concerns were able to ask for in-person exemptions last year, but it is unclear if that was the case this school year or if the dedicated science teacher had asked for one, according to WSAV.
“I just want people to understand that she was the best of the best and that all teachers should have her dedication and love,” Sandefur told the news outlet.
Sandefur told WSAV that she hopes the loss of Sistrunk will prompt school officials to reconsider their in-person learning policy.
“I’m just saying, maybe let’s reconsider teachers that have been dedicated to you for 30 years that are one year away from retiring and high risk,” Sandefur told WSAV. “Maybe just maybe, let’s single them out and find a solution that can benefit both parties, so this doesn’t happen again.”
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