A new pyridine-fused seleno­diazo­lium salt, 3-(phenyl­selan­yl)[1,2,4]selena­diazolo[4,5-a]pyridin-4-ylium chloride di­chloro­methane 0.352-solvate, C12H9N2Se2+·Cl−·0.352CH2Cl2, was obtained from the reaction between 2-pyridyl­selenenyl chloride and phenyl­seleno­cyanate. Single-crystal structural analysis revealed the presence of C—H⋯N, C—H⋯Cl−, C—H⋯Se hydrogen bonds as well as chalcogen–chalcogen (Se⋯Se) and chalcogen–halogen (Se⋯Cl−) inter­actions. Non-covalent inter­actions were explored by DFT calculations followed by topological analysis of the electron density distribution (QTAIM analysis). The structure consists of pairs of seleno­diazo­lium moieties arranged in a head-to-tail fashion surrounding disordered di­chloro­methane mol­ecules. The assemblies are connected by C—H⋯Cl− and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming layers, which stack along the c-axis direction connected by bifurcated Se⋯Cl−⋯H—C inter­actions.

Crystallization of 5-nona­noyl-8-hy­droxy­quinoline in the presence of InCl3 in aceto­nitrile yields a dinuclear InIII complex crystallizing in the space group Poverline{1}. In this complex, [In2(C18H22NO2)2Cl4(H2O)2], each indium ion is sixfold coordinated by two chloride ions, one water mol­ecule and two 8-quinolino­late ions. The crystal of the title complex is composed of two-dimensional supra­molecular aggregates, resulting from the linkage of the Owater—H⋯O=C and Owater—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds as well as bifurcated Carene—H⋯Cl contacts.

When reacted in dry, degassed toluene, [Ir(COD)Cl]2 (COD = cyclo­octa-1,5-diene) and 2 equivalents of 2-(di-tert-butyl­phosphinito)anthra­quinone (tBuPOAQH) were found to form a unique tri-iridium compound consisting of one monoanionic dinuclear tri-μ-chlorido complex bearing one bidentate tBuPOAQ ligand per iridium, which was charge-balanced by an outer sphere [Ir(toluene)(COD)]+ ion, the structure of which has not previously been reported. This product, which is a toluene solvate, namely, (η2:η2-cyclo­octa-1,5-diene)(η6-toluene)­iridium(I) tri-μ-chlorido-bis­({3-[(di-tert-butyl­phosphan­yl)­oxy]-9,10-dioxoanthracen-2-yl}hydridoiridium(III)) toluene monosolvate, [Ir(C7H8)(C8H12)][Ir2H2(C22H24O3P)2Cl3]·C7H8 or [Ir(toluene)(COD)][Ir(κ-P,C-tBuPOAQ)(H)]2(μ-Cl)3]·toluene, formed as small orange platelets at room temperature, crystallizing in the triclinic space group Poverline{1}. The cation and anion are linked via weak C—H⋯O inter­actions. The stronger inter­molecular attractions are likely the offset parallel π–π inter­actions, which occur between the toluene ligands of pairs of inverted cations and between pairs of inverted anthra­quinone moieties, the latter of which are capped by toluene solvate mol­ecules, making for π-stacks of four mol­ecules each. The related ligand, 2-(di-tert-butyl­phosphinometh­yl)-anthra­quinone (tBuPCAQH), did not form crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction under analogous reaction conditions. However, when the reaction was conducted in chloro­form, yellow needles readily formed following addition of 1 atm of carbon monoxide. Diffraction studies revealed a neutral, dinuclear, di-μ-chlorido complex, di-μ-chlorido-bis­(carbon­yl{3-[(di-tert-butyl­phosphan­yl)­oxy]-9,10-dioxoanthracen-2-yl}hydridoiridium(I)), [Ir2H2(C23H26O2P)2Cl2(CO)2] or [Ir(κ-P,C-tBuPCAQ)(H)(CO)(μ-Cl)]2, Ir2C48H54Cl2O6P2, again crystallizing in space group Poverline{1}. Offset parallel π–π inter­actions between anthra­quinone groups of adjacent mol­ecules link the mol­ecules in one dimension.

Reaction of 4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide and Co(NCS)2 in ethanol as solvent accidentally leads to the formation of single crystals of Co(NCS)2(4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide)(ethanol) or [Co(NCS)2(C6H7NO)(C2H6O)]n. The asymmetric unit of the title compound consists of one CoII cation, two crystallographically independent thio­cyanate anions, one 4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide coligand and one ethanol mol­ecule on general positions. The cobalt cations are sixfold coordinated by one terminal and two bridging thio­cyanate anions, two bridging 4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide coligands and one ethanol mol­ecule, with a slightly distorted octa­hedral geometry. The cobalt cations are linked by single μ-1,3(N,S)-bridging thio­cyanate anions into corrugated chains, that are further connected into layers by pairs of μ-1,1(O,O)-bridging 4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide coligands. The layers are parallel to the bc plane and are separated by the methyl groups of the 4-methyl­pyridine N-oxide coligands. Within the layers, intra­layer hydrogen bonding is observed.

The title compound, [Sn(C6H5)Cl3(C12H8N2)], which was obtained by the reaction between 1,10-phenanthroline and phenyl­tin trichloride in methanol, exhibits intra­molecular hydrogen-bonding inter­actions involving the chlorine and hydrogen atoms. Crystal cohesion is ensured by inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, as well as Y—X⋯π and π-stacking inter­actions involving three different aromatic rings with centroid–centroid distances of 3.6605 (13), 3.9327 (14) and 3.6938 (12) Å]. Hirshfeld surface analysis and the associated two-dimensional fingerprint plots reveal significant contributions from H⋯H (30.7%), Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl (32.4%), and C⋯H/H⋯C (24.0%) contacts to the crystal packing while the C⋯C (6.2%), C⋯Cl/Cl⋯C (4.1%), and N⋯H/H⋯N (1.7%) inter­actions make smaller contributions.

The title compound, [Cd(C14H16N3S)Cl] or [CdLCl] (1), where LH = 2-[bis­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amino]­ethane-1-thiol, was prepared and structurally characterized. The Cd2+ complex crystallizes in P21/c with a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal metal coordination geometry. Supra­molecular inter­actions in 1 include parallel offset face-to-face inter­actions between inversion-related pyridyl rings and potential hydrogen bonds with chlorine or sulfur as the acceptor. Additional cooperative pyrid­yl–pyridyl inter­actions with roughly 45° tilt angles and centroid–centroid distances of less than 5.5 Å likely also contribute to the overall solid-state stability. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that H⋯H (51.2%), Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl (13.9%), C⋯H/H⋯C (12.3%) and S⋯H/H⋯S (11.8%) inter­actions are dominant in the solid state.

The title compound, (C9H8NO)[CuCl3(C7H5NO4)]·2H2O, was prepared by reacting CuII acetate dihydrate, solid 8-hy­droxy­quinoline (8-HQ), and solid pyridine-2,6-di­carb­oxy­lic acid (H2pydc), in a 1:1:1 molar ratio, in an aqueous solution of dilute hydro­chloric acid. The CuII atom exhibits a distorted CuO2NCl3 octa­hedral geometry, coordinating two oxygen atoms and one nitro­gen atom from the tridentate H2pydc ligand and three chloride atoms; the nitro­gen atom and one chloride atom occupy the axial positions with Cu—N and Cu—Cl bond lengths of 2.011 (2) Å and 2.2067 (9) Å, respectively. In the equatorial plane, the oxygen and chloride atoms are arranged in a cis configuration, with Cu—O bond lengths of 2.366 (2) and 2.424 (2) Å, and Cu—Cl bond lengths of 2.4190 (10) and 2.3688 (11) Å. The asymmetric unit contains 8-HQ+ as a counter-ion and two uncoordinated water mol­ecules. The crystal structure features strong O—H⋯O and O—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds as well as weak inter­actions including C—H⋯O, C—H⋯Cl, Cu—Cl⋯π, and π–π, which result in a three-dimensional network. A Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions to the crystal packing involving the main residues are from H⋯Cl/Cl⋯H inter­actions, contributing 40.3% for the anion. Weak H⋯H contacts contribute 13.2% for the cation and 28.6% for the anion.

The reaction of Zn(ClO4)2·6H2O with Na3SbS4·9H2O in a water/aceto­nitrile mixture leads to the formation of the title compound, (μ-tetra­thio­anti­monato-κ2S:S')bis­[(1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane-κ4N)zinc(II)] perchlorate 0.8-hydrate, [Zn2(SbS4)(C10H24N4)2]ClO4·0.8H2O or [(Zn-cyclam)2(SbS4)]+[ClO4]−·0.8H2O. The asymmetric unit consists of two crystallographically independent [SbS4]3– anions, two independent perchlorate anions and two independent water mol­ecules as well as four crystallographically independent Zn(cyclam)2+ cations that are located in general positions. Both perchlorate anions and one cyclam ligand are disordered and were refined with a split mode using restraints. The water mol­ecules are partially occupied. Two Zn(cyclam)2+ cations are linked via the [SbS4]3– anions into [Zn2(cyclam)2SbS4]+ cations that are charged-balanced by the [ClO4]− anions. The water mol­ecules of crystallization are hydrogen bonded to the [SbS4]3– anions. The cations, anions and water mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O, N—H⋯S and O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network. Powder X-ray diffraction proves that a pure sample had been obtained that was additionally investigated for its spectroscopic properties.

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Ni(C8H20N4)(NO3)]NO3, at room temperature, has monoclinic (P21/n) symmetry. The structure displays inter­molecular hydrogen bonding. The nickel displays a distorted bipyramidal geometry with the symmetric bidentate bonded nitrate occupying an equatorial site. The 1,4,7,10-tetra­aza­cyclo­dodecane (cyclen) backbone has the [4,8] configuration, with three nitro­gen-bound H atoms directed above the plane of the nitro­gen atoms towards the offset nickel atom with the fourth nitro­gen-bound hydrogen directed below from the plane of the nitro­gen atoms. The nitrate anion O atoms are seen to hydrogen bond to the H atoms bound to the N atoms of the ligand.

In the title compound, C10H8N2·2C6H5NO3, 4-nitro­phenol and 4,4'-bi­pyridine crystallized together in a 2:1 ratio in the space group P21/n. There is a hydrogen-bonding inter­action between the nitro­gen atoms on the 4,4'-bi­pyridine mol­ecule and the hydrogen atom on the hydroxyl group on the 4-nitro­phenol, resulting in trimolecular units. This structure is a polymorph of a previously reported structure [Nayak & Pedireddi (2016). Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 5966–5975], which differs mainly due to a twist in the 4,4'-bi­pyridine mol­ecule.

Two different multi-component crystals consisting of papaverine [1-(3,4-di­meth­oxy­benz­yl)-6,7-di­meth­oxy­iso­quinoline, C20H21NO4] and fumaric acid [C4H4O4] were obtained. Single-crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed that one, C20H21NO4·1.5C4H4O4 (I), is a salt co-crystal composed of salt-forming and non-salt-forming mol­ecules, and the other, C20H21NO4·0.5C4H4O4 (II), is a salt–co-crystal inter­mediate (i.e., in an inter­mediate state between a salt and a co-crystal). In this study, one state (crystal structure at 100 K) within the salt–co-crystal continuum is defined as the ‘inter­mediate’.

The title compound, [Zn2(C22H18ClN4O)Cl3], is a dinuclear zinc(II) complex with three chlorido ligands and one penta­dentate ligand containing quinolin-8-olato and bis­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amine groups. One of the two ZnII atom adopts a tetra­hedral geometry and coordinates two chlorido ligands with chelate coord­ination of the N and O atoms of the quinolin-8-olato group in the ligand. The other ZnII atom adopts a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry, and coordinates one chlorido-O atom of the quinolin-8-olato group and three N atoms of the bis­(pyridin-2-ylmeth­yl)amine unit. In the crystal, two mol­ecules are associated through a pair of inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, forming a dimer with an R22(12) ring motif. Another inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bond forms a spiral C(8) chain running parallel to the [010] direction. The dimers are linked by these two inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, generating a ribbon sheet structure in ac plane. Two other inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds form a C(7) chain along the c-axis direction and another C(7) chain generated by a d-glide plane. The mol­ecules are cross-linked through the four inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional network.

The title compound, C18H21N3O3, was prepared from 1,3,5-benzene­tricarbonyl trichloride and cyclo­propyl­amine. Its crystal structure was solved in the monoclinic space group P21/c. In the crystal, the three amide groups of the mol­ecule are inclined at angles of 26.5 (1), 36.9 (1) and 37.8 (1)° with respect to the plane of the benzene ring. The mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming two-dimensional supra­molecular aggregates that extend parallel to the crystallographic ab plane and are further connected by C—H⋯O contacts. As a result of the supra­molecular inter­actions, a propeller-like conformation of the title mol­ecule can be observed.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Co(C8Br4O4)(C3H4N2)2(H2O)2]n or [Co(Br4bdc)(im)2(H2O)2]n, comprises half of CoII ion, tetra­bromo­benzene­dicarboxylate (Br4bdc2−), imidazole (im) and a water mol­ecule. The CoII ion exhibits a six-coordinated octa­hedral geometry with two oxygen atoms of the Br4bdc2− ligand, two oxygen atoms of the water mol­ecules, and two nitro­gen atoms of the im ligands. The carboxyl­ate group is nearly perpendicular to the benzene ring and shows monodentate coordination to the CoII ion. The CoII ions are bridged by the Br4bdc2− ligand, forming a one-dimensional chain. The carboxyl­ate group acts as an inter­molecular hydrogen-bond acceptor toward the im ligand and a coordinated water mol­ecule. The chains are connected by inter­chain N—H⋯O(carboxyl­ate) and O—H(water)⋯O(carboxyl­ate) hydrogen-bonding inter­actions and are not arranged in parallel but cross each other via inter­chain hydrogen bonding and π–π inter­actions, yielding a three-dimensional network.

Crystal growth of 2-(3,4,5-triphen­ylphen­yl)acetic acid (1) from aceto­nitrile yields a monosolvate, C26H20O2·CH3CN, of the space group P1. In the crystal, the title mol­ecule adopts a conformation in which the three phenyl rings are arranged in a paddlewheel-like fashion around the central arene ring and the carboxyl residue is oriented nearly perpendicular to the plane of this benzene ring. Inversion-symmetric dimers of O—H⋯O-bonded mol­ecules of 1 represent the basic supra­molecular entities of the crystal structure. These dimeric mol­ecular units are further linked by C—H⋯O=C bonds to form one-dimensional supra­molecular aggregates running along the crystallographic [111] direction. Weak Car­yl—H⋯N inter­actions occur between the mol­ecules of 1 and aceto­nitrile.

Reaction of 2-amino-5-iodo­pyridine (5IAP) with concentrated HBr at room temperature yielded 2-amino-5-iodo­pyridinium bromide, C5H6IN2+·Br− or (5IAPH)Br. The complex formed pale-yellow crystals, which exhibit significant hydrogen bonding between the amino and pyridinium N—H donors and bromide ion acceptors. Halogen bonding is also observed. Similarly, reaction of 5IAP with cobalt(II) chloride in mixed HCl/HBr in 1-propanol yielded 2-amino-5-iodo­pyridinium (2-amino-5-iodo­pyridine-κN1)bromido/chlorido­(0.51/2.48)cobalt(II), (C5H6IN2)[CoBr0.51Cl2.48(C5H5IN2)] or (5-IAPH)[(5IAP)CoCl2.48Br0.51], as blue block-shaped crystals. Two of the three halide positions exhibit mixed occupancy [Cl/Br = 0.797 (5):0.203 (5) and 0.689 (6):0.311 (6)], while the third position is occupied solely by a chloride ion. Extensive hydrogen and halogen bonding is observed.

In the title mol­ecule, C20H18ClN3O2, the 2-chloro­phenyl group is disordered to a small extent [occupancies 0.875 (2)/0.125 (2)]. The phenyl­acetamide moiety is nearly planar due to a weak, intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-stacking inter­actions between pyridazine and phenyl rings form helical chains of mol­ecules in the b-axis direction, which are linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and C—H⋯π(ring) inter­actions. A Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed, which showed that H⋯H, C⋯H/H⋯C and O⋯H/H⋯O inter­actions to dominate the inter­molecular contacts in the crystal.

The title organic–inorganic hybrid salt, C2H7IN+·I−, is isotypic with its bromine analog, C2H7BrN+·Br− [Semenikhin et al. (2024). Acta Cryst. E80, 738–741]. Its asymmetric unit consists of one 2-iodo­ethyl­ammonium cation and one iodide anion. The NH3+ group of the organic cation forms weak hydrogen bonds with four neighboring iodide anions, leading to the formation of supra­molecular layers propagating parallel to the bc plane. Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals that the most important contribution to the crystal packing is from N—H⋯I inter­actions (63.8%). The crystal under investigation was twinned by a 180° rotation around [001].

The unit cell of the title compound, [Ni(C16H10ClN6)2]·2CH3OH, consists of a neutral complex and two methanol mol­ecules. In the complex, the two tridentate 2-(3-(4-chloro­phen­yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)-6-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine ligands coordinate to the central NiII ion through the N atoms of the pyrazole, pyridine and triazole groups, forming a pseudo­octa­hedral coordination sphere. Neighbouring tapered mol­ecules are linked through weak C—H(pz)⋯π(ph) inter­actions into monoperiodic chains, which are further linked through weak C—H⋯N/C inter­actions into diperiodic layers. The inter­molecular contacts were qu­anti­fied using Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots, revealing the relative contributions of the contacts to the crystal packing to be H⋯H 32.8%, C⋯H/H⋯C 27.5%, N⋯H/H⋯N 15.1%, and Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl 14.0%. The average Ni—N bond distance is 2.095 Å. Energy framework analysis at the HF/3–21 G theory level was performed to qu­antify the inter­action energies in the crystal structure.

; Credit: /Ryan Raphael for NPR

To say Leah Juelke is an award-winning teacher is a bit of an understatement. She was a top 10 finalist for the Global Teacher Prize in 2020; she was North Dakota's Teacher of the Year in 2018; and she was awarded an NEA Foundation award for teaching excellence in 2019.

But Juelke, who teaches high school English learners in Fargo, N.D., says nothing prepared her for teaching during the pandemic.

"The level of stress is exponentially higher. It's like nothing I've experienced before."

It's a sentiment NPR heard from teachers across the country. After a year of uncertainty, long hours and juggling personal and work responsibilities, many told NPR they had reached a breaking point.

Heidi Crumrine, a high school English teacher in Concord, N.H., says this has been the most challenging year she's ever encountered in her two decades of teaching.

"And I say [that] as someone who started her first day of teaching on 9/11 in the Bronx in New York City."

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S., tied only with nurses, a 2013 Gallup poll found. Jennifer Greif Green, an education professor at Boston University, says the additional stress teachers are reporting during the pandemic is worrying because it doesn't only affect educators — it also affects students.

"The mental health and well-being of teachers can have a really important impact on the mental health and well-being of the children who they're spending most of their days with," Green explains. "Having teachers feel safe and supported in their school environments is essential to students learning and being successful."

Lisa Sanetti, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut, says, "Chronically stressed teachers are just less effective in the classroom."

All that stress can also lead to burnout, which leads to teachers leaving the profession, Sanetti says. "And we have a huge teacher turnover problem in our country."

Districts are trying to help — with yoga classes, counseling sessions and webinars on mental health. Some teachers have organized trivia nights or online happy hours where colleagues can just vent. Teachers told NPR they force themselves to take breaks and go for a bike ride or call a friend. Some have started therapy.

But most of the educators NPR spoke with say they're so exhausted, that even self-care feels like one additional thing to do.

"The reality is, when you're living it, you're just trying to get to the end of the day successfully and try again tomorrow," Crumrine says.

"It feels like we're building the plane while we're flying it"

In March 2020, when schools moved online, teachers across the U.S. had to completely reimagine their approach to education, often with no training or time to prepare. For many, it was a rough transition.

Teachers told NPR they've spent the past year experimenting with different methods of online and hybrid teaching, while also providing tech support for their students and families. Many say they routinely work 12-hour days and on weekends, yet struggle to form relationships with children virtually. Answering emails can take two hours a day.

Rashon Briggs, who teaches high school special education in Los Angeles, spent a lot of time worrying about his students during remote learning (his district only recently started offering in-person options). "One of the biggest challenges is knowing that the kids were not getting the same level of service that they were getting in person," he says.

Teachers in districts that opened earlier for in-person learning say they have additional responsibilities now, such as sanitizing desks between classes, making sure children follow school safety protocols and keeping track of students who have had to quarantine.

"I have a calendar and it says who's quarantined, who is cleared to return on what day, who was absent," explains Rosamund Looney, who teaches first grade in Jefferson Parish, La. "Then I follow up with those families to see: 'Are you OK?' So there's just so much space taken up by that monitoring."

Looney also worries about her students' learning. Everyone in her district has to wear masks in class, which she says she completely agrees with. But those masks mean she can't see her first graders' mouths as they learn phonics.

"You are watching your teacher sound out words and then figuring out how to do that. And it's really hard for me to gauge what they are and aren't able to say." She says she's especially concerned about students who are more at risk of falling behind academically, like English learners.

In New Hampshire, Crumrine says quarantines and positive cases among school staff have led to a constant shifting between fully online and hybrid classes. The fluctuations have been exhausting for her. "We started the year remote. Then we went back to school in October, then we were remote again in November, December. We went back to hybrid [in early February]," she says. New Hampshire's governor has now ordered all schools reopen for full-time, in-person classes by this week.

"It feels like we're building the plane while we're flying it and the destination keeps changing on us," Crumrine says.

Balancing work and home life

In addition to worrying about their students, many teachers are also concerned about their own children. Crumrine, whose husband is also a teacher, has three children and says she feels pulled by competing demands.

"I feel this sense of guilt that I'm not a good enough teacher for my students and I'm not a good mother for my own kids. It just feels like a constant wave of never feeling like I can do what I know I'm good at."

Juelke, in North Dakota, is a single mom with a 9- and 3-year-old. "I'm juggling the children and making sure my daughter is in her class and my 3-year-old is entertained. And that is definitely taking a toll."

Many teachers say they are eating and drinking more, and exercising and sleeping less.

Briggs, in L.A., says his sleeping patterns are completely off. "Being awake all hours of the night, going to bed at 2, 3 a.m., drinking coffee late at night and try to finish work so I can be more prepared the next day."

He's stressed, in part, because there are no clear work-life boundaries anymore. "When you're waking up in the same space that you're on Zoom, that you're grading papers, that you're watching Netflix, those lines are blurred very easily."

Others say they're not as active at home, and they're eating more junk food and putting on weight. The tight schedules means they don't always move between classes, or even remember to drink water.

"There are a lot of dehydrated teachers out there," says Looney.

Many, like Juelke, say they miss having personal time. "That time where I could sit in the car and drive to work and just kind of relax a little, or my prep time at school alone. That's gone now. And so I feel like my mental health has struggled in that way."

She says even though it breaks her heart, she's started looking for another profession.

Leonda Archer, a middle school math teacher in Arlington, Va., says she's usually a very upbeat person, but the pandemic — coupled with the racial turmoil in the country — has taken a toll. She's African American, and says reports of Black men and women being killed by police makes her fear for her husband's safety.

"There were some points of lowness that I hadn't experienced before. There are some days where I feel like it's hard to keep going."

Archer says she has had difficulty sleeping, and doesn't have an appetite. "And right when I get into a groove, another traumatic experience happens."

Briggs says it was hard not being able to process events like George Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter protests with his colleagues. In the past, those conversations informed what he would say in the classroom to help his own students make sense of the news.

"The teachers were not able to talk to each other about 'How do you talk about this? How do you present that?' " he says. "There was a lack of ability for us to communicate a message about social justice and rights and the wrongs."

Crumrine says she misses the social aspect of being with her students, and other teachers. "We're not eating lunch together. We're not popping into each other's classrooms. We're all in our little silos."

The school reopening divide

Teachers told NPR they feel a growing chasm in their communities: Parents want schools to open, but teachers first want to make sure it's safe. Many feel they are not being included in these conversations, and their concerns aren't being taken seriously.

Crumrine says it's been devastating hearing elected officials and parents criticize teachers, insisting that schools need to open, even though teachers are concerned about their own health. She says some community members acted like online classes meant teachers weren't working at all. In fact, she says, they were working harder than ever. "It just makes it feel so much worse when you read these horrible things that people say about us or these assumptions that they make about what we are or are not doing."

She says many states, including her own, didn't prioritize vaccines for teachers, which to her revealed just "how deep that lack of value of educators is."

Sarahi Monterrey, who teaches English learners in Waukesha, Wisc., says she's felt a "huge divide" in the community. "It almost seems like us against them." She was in a Zoom school board meeting where parents and students were present, and a teacher testified that her husband had COVID-19. "And a parent in the room said, 'Who cares?' And I was blown away. Just blown away."

In Virginia, Archer says, at the beginning of the pandemic, "We were seen as angels. Like, 'Oh my God, I've been home with my child for two months, how do teachers do it?' And now the narrative has totally flip-flopped."

She says she also misses "the vibe of school, the energy, all of that. But I don't want people to be sick."

Archer works 12-hour days, and says people need to remember that teachers are people too. "Our profession is a nurturing one, but we also are humans that need to be poured into. We need to be nurtured, too."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A first for the restaurant, the Eggo Taco features Moe’s adobo chicken topped with bacon, shredded cheese, and chipotle ranch served on a fried Eggo waffle as the taco shell.

We recently were able to talk to Anthony Spinato, president of Spinato's Fine Foods, Tempe, AZ, about their new broccoli pizza crust and other frozen pizza aspects. 

The company's new protein bars are made with real nut butter, honey, and dates.

Upcycled Foods, Inc. has co-developed Upcycled Pizza Dough with DeIorio's Foods, Inc., a frozen dough manufacturer that's celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. 

The pizza reportedly includes the blend of Lou's buttery pizza topped with Portillo's slow-roasted Italian beef.

Better-for-you tortillas available at select Sprouts, Shop Rite, and Wegmans locations.

Available in three flavors, Totino’s new Breakfast Snack Bites are ready in just two minutes

The new flavors are available in Totino’s two most popular pizza roll flavors with an added fiery kick: Spicy Pepperoni and Spicy Cheese.

Available for a limited time, the Portillo’s Chocolate Cake Cookie gives cake fans the chance to savor it in a Milk Bar cookie, created in partnership with founder Christina Tosi.

‘Going from good to great’ is a pervasive theme at Phoenix-based Capistrano’s Bakery. So is the phrase, ‘It Can Be Done.’ This rather quiet, wholesale artisan baker works hard to ensure that its products are tasty, innovative and what its customers want. 

Bobo’s Limited Edition Chocolate Almond Brownie Bar ($32.88) is officially available on EatBobos.com to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The state-of-the-art facility houses IAPMO R&T’s Oceana research center and product testing laboratory.

Designed for easy use with an intuitive touchscreen operating system, the SENTRY io Controller can help users save time and reduce costs.

Dave Turner is an innovative small business leader and motorcycle race team manager

Raquel Lavender is recognized for over two decades of hard work in the residential real estate sector

Ms. Amaireny Lantigua Tejeda is lauded for her contributions to Global Financial Impact as a financial professional and insurance specialist

Thomas J. Underwood is noted for his work as the president and owner of Underwood Professional Development Inc.

From solo attorney to business owner, Ashley Sharek continues to help individuals protect their lives and legacies

Que Spencer Hansen serves as the owner of Tall Tree Administrators Inc.

Que Hansen has been endorsed by Marquis Who's Who as a leader in the healthcare administration industry

Vikash Salig, MD, MBA, is currently the managing director at the talent advisory firm ZRG Partners

Yogesh Sheth is noted for his proficiency in digital transformation within the financial service industry

Osure' L. Brown is lauded for his success in academic advising and leadership in higher education

Leroy F. Searle, PhD, is an expert in English and comparative literature as a professor emeritus of over 50 years

Ms. Bullock brings a 30-year business background to her role as executive director of the Pride Center of Staten Island

Jack D. Simons is recognized for his expertise as an associate professor with Mercy College

Kelly Leigh Metzgar serves as executive director of the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance

Michael J. Salvatore is an expert attorney specializing in entertainment contract negotiation and IP legal issues

FASI 3.0 brought together leaders in the food service industry and university sector who are dedicated to providing a safe experience for diners and students with special dietary needs.