18 / BACK TO SCHOOL 2020
Mount Ellis Academy Students Grapple with Returning to School During a Pandemic
By: Lauren Bongard Schwarz Mt. Ellis Academy Teacher
Last March, with the novel Coronavirus starting to appear in Bozeman, Mount Ellis Academy, a private Christian high school, let out early for spring break and then transitioned to an online learning model for the rest of the academic year. While teachers did their best to keep classes engaging and students shifted to a new learning format, school definitely wasn’t the same. Campus was quiet, experiential learning was nearly impossible, and the outdoor education program had to be halted. But this is a new year. Even though the virus still exists, there’s hope that school can resume safely with certain precautions in place. So, Mount Ellis Academy is moving forward with full-time in-person learning beginning August 17th. With approximately 52 students in grades 9-12—about half of whom live in dormitories on campus—and a program that emphasizes outdoor education, that could be an easier task than larger schools face. Still, students and staff are gearing up for changes. “While we’re planning to be all-in, we will be following the governor’s mandate for masks and other health recommendations,” says Principal Renae Young. “We’re figuring out how to do school and keep kids safe at the same time.” She says that’s possible because of the school’s smaller size and its unique program, adding, “Authorities are saying sunshine and fresh air are helpful in preventing virus transmission, and we do a lot of outdoor learning; we start the year with outdoor school and senior survival, and our teachers are exploring holding classes outdoors.” Along with those precautions, the school will be cleaning even more frequently than usual, and janitors will be outfitted with personal protective equipment to
keep them safer while they do their part to keep students and staff safe. Numerous hand sanitizing stations have been installed in campus buildings, and signage reminds students to socially distance when possible, keep their faces covered, and wash their hands often. Teachers can meet with their classes in outdoor spaces around the sprawling campus as weather permits, and fans, air filters, and open windows will increase fresh air circulation in classrooms when being outside isn’t possible. Because the campus hosts resident students in dormitories, there are already isolation rooms for students who are sick. However, since COVID-19 is different than the common cold or flu, the school will work with the local health department to outline best practices for handling illness. If there’s a mandated shutdown like last spring, the school is ready. All students are already outfitted with school-issued Chromebooks, and they’re used to turning in many assignments digitally. Although online education isn’t ideal, the daily class schedule will remain the same with students joining classes from home via an online platform. That way, they’ll have daily access to teachers and classmates, even if it has to be virtual. Students Sound Off About Restarting School As the nation and local schools debate masks and compares the benefits of in-person schooling with the relative safety of online education, students are left to navigate the realities of decisions made for them. “I’m not sure whether it’s best to meet in-person in these circumstances, but I think that it’s very high risk, very high reward,” admits Sharra Durtka, a junior from
