Type of story
BACK TO SCHOOL....
AGAIN
After months of hybrid and remote learning, all students who chose in-person learning returned to BVN after Spring Break, but students and staff have varying opinions about how safe and successful they predict this return to be. By Charitha Lakkireddy
M
arch 12, 2020 — it was the day before Spring Break and the last in-person learning day of the 2019-2020 school year. It was also the last time many students, including senior Leah Perila, saw some of their classmates in over a year. Since the start of the 2020-2021 school year, BVN has relied on fully remote learning and hybrid learning. Under fully remote, all students were attending school virtually at home. Under hybrid, students were divided into two groups based on their last names, alternating, so that only one group is in person each day. Because of this, some students haven’t seen their classmates in the opposite group in person since March 2020. Now, more than a year later, BVN is welcoming back all students to fully inperson learning. This return comes with a variety of emotions for students, from excitement to anxiety, and a mix of both
8 | The North Star | April 2021
for some, including Perila. As fun as Perila expects the classroom reunions between students and teachers to be, she said she isn’t sure it offsets the fear settling in over the increased risk of contracting COVID-19. As a result of having classrooms at normal capacity and twice the number of students in the hallways, many social distancing protocols cannot be followed. “It’s partly understandable why this decision was made at this time as we are moving into a new quarter and the number of cases and the positivity percentages for COVID-19 have been on the decline,” Perila said. “However, I’m definitely apprehensive about this decision personally.” Perila maintains that hybrid is her preferred learning mode because it offered her the best of both worlds and she hopes to return to it. “[Hybrid learning] allowed a balance between socialization and face-to-face
time with the freedom that came with being home,” Perila said. “...Going fully in person causes a level of discomfort for me, but at the same time, total separation and being online [makes it] difficult to stay motivated. It’s hard seeing little to no one.” The return to school was the day after students returned from Spring Break, which was another concern for Perila. She said that she’s disappointed by BV’s decision in general, but the date of the return is salt in the wound. “A large percentage of students are coming back from vacationing and behaving out of the district’s safety control and that just makes it that much worse,” Perila said. “My nerves have heightened knowing many of my classmates are just returning from trips, and although many abide by safety guidelines and take actions to travel and enjoy their location safely, there is also a large amount of photos, videos and stories that make it evident
