Students will begin a phase-in the week of August 24th to prepare for the return of in person education on September 8th. The week of August 24th, students returning to in person school will only attend two days a week for the two weeks leading up to the students return in full.  

Senior and junior students will be back on campus Wednesday, August 26th and Thursday, August 27th. The freshmen and sophomores will be on campus Tuesday, August 25 and Friday August 28. The next week, the seniors and juniors will continue to follow the Wednesday and Thursday schedule and the freshman and sophomore will come again on Tuesday and Friday.

The school has made adjustments in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as students reenter for face to face learning. Students are no longer allowed to gather in large groups outside of the classroom before or after school hours.

“As students come in at 6:45, they will have a specific location to go,” principal Stephanie Hodgins said. “If they are wanting breakfast, they can go to the cafeteria, but they will stay there until 1st period starts. Anyone not getting breakfast will go to their first class of the day, either first or second period depending on the day.”

Students and parents had the option for in person or online learning moving forward. There are changes students need to make for both available options. 

“I am doing online school for the first nine weeks because my parents think it is the smartest thing to do with what is going on,” junior Avari Ford said. “The hardest adjustment is getting up and being motivated to do my work. I haven’t gotten used to it yet, but I know it will get better as time goes on.”

In March of last year, the school implemented an online learning system for the safety of the students and teachers. Students have had to learn in different ways than the past, and after months of online learning they are given the opportunity to learn in person again. 

“I’ve made the decision to go back to school,” senior Jenna Day said.  “However, I’ve come to the conclusion that I work really well by myself and on my own time, so it will be interesting to see how I and other students will make that transition back to hearing teachers and classmates everyday.”

Through the months of online learning, students have learned to educate themselves on a more independent level, and now they will be able to return after being away from the classroom environment.

“I feel I’ve learned how to pace myself a bit better because of online learning since you have to pace yourself in order to turn things in on time, and I have learned to not overwork myself so that I can give it 100% without being tired or bored,” sophomore Nicholi Lugo said. “I’d say the thing I’m looking forward to most when we go back is meeting all of my teachers in person to get to know them better as well as seeing all my friends again and catching up.”

Online learning can contain more than an absence from the school campus. It can lead to the absence of human contact through teachers, teammates, peers and friends. 

“I know the risks of going back to school, but when I weigh my options, face to face is just more appealing,” junior Timothy Gunn said. “It’s a little more personal, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why I’m so drawn to it. All in all, I just miss human interaction.”