With lots of changes to the everyday routine, 1,092 students were able to return to in-person learning the week of October 26 for the first time since March 13.

“I thought it was so nice coming back to school and getting to see my teachers in real life,” junior Mary Boetcher said. “But, I wish I had all of my classes every day so I could see all of my teachers every day.” Boetcher is a part of Group A, meaning she only attends school in-person on Monday and Tuesday, completes online assignments on Wednesday and Thursday, then attends online classes all day Friday.

With a new schedule, masks required everywhere in the building, tape laid down in the hallways saying where one can and cannot walk, and new seating arrangements in classrooms as well as the cafeteria, major changes have been made across the building in order to follow health guidelines and prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“The most obvious change is definitely the masks,” freshman Kira Wagner said. “I don’t really mind all of the changes, though, I know they are here to keep us all safe.”

Changes that have been made provide students with many things to get used to during the 20-21 school year. 

“The way that lunch is set up and how hallways are covered in tape were big changes to me. I feel that it is good for them to put tape on the floor so we all know what side of the hallway we should walk on,” senior Ciera Chambers said.

Students are not the only ones affected by these changes made in the building. Teachers have to get used to a new schedule as well as only being able to see students in-person once a week, which is something that is very new to them.

“I am not used to how quiet my classroom is since we are so distant and in rows,” teacher Taylor Smith said. “If I were to make any changes to the schedule it would be that I could see my students more than once a week.”

Days in school are filled with new things for students and engaged learning. But, on the days that students only have to complete online assignments, many have trouble finding the motivation to be productive.

“I got very tired and unmotivated on the days that we were online,” Boetcher said. “I wish I could go on Monday and Wednesday so maybe it would be easier for me to motivate myself.” 

Although the hybrid schedule is very new to students, most were just excited to get back to school. After not being able to attend school in-person for over half a year, returning to the building provided students with some sense of normalcy.

“My first week of hybrid was good! I was excited to be back in school,” Wagner said. She is not alone with this opinion.

“I was looking forward to [coming back to school] because I enjoy school and being social” Boetcher said. 

The precautions being taken at school this year such as the hybrid schedule is not-so-normal to students, but them being able to finally return to the building may have a positive outcome for the community. Attending school in person provides more opportunities to be engaged in the classroom, so staff and students are hopeful that one day they will be able to attend school full time, which is the next step after the hybrid schedule.