TRANSITION TO RED

6 NEWS Transitioning to Red

CP goes to red status after two weeks at green

BY EMILY HELMUTH co-editor-in-chief

Just two weeks after transitioning from the yellow hybrid learning status to the in-person green learning status, Crown Point High School, as well as Taft and Wheeler Middle Schools, will be transitioning to the red status on Thursday, Nov. 12. This red status has all students learning remotely from home. Superintendent Todd Terrill wrote in an email sent to parents on Friday, Nov. 6 the reasons this decision had been made.

“Adequately staffing schools for in-person learners has become difficult due to the number of staff quarantines,” Terrill wrote. “Temporarily moving to red is reset that provides time for both students and staff to finish quarantining. At this time, a switch to yellow would not alleviate our staffing issues.”

Terrill also wrote in the message that the district would further update parents and students going into this week, as he noted virtual learning this time would vary with the virtual learning students experienced in the spring. Crown Point High School principal Russ Marcinek elaborated on how this would look at the high school in messaging to students, parents and staff.

“Students will be on a similar schedule to how we operated in yellow,” Marcinek said. “On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday there will be learning opportunities for students in all classes. These learning opportunities can be flexible. It doesn’t have to be a different learning opportunity all four days. There can be reviews, lessons extended over two days, etc. Students will be encouraged to follow their daily schedules. Teachers will follow their current class schedule and be available during their scheduled class periods.”

Sophomore Nate Murphy says that he agrees with the district’s decision to move from green to red, and believes it should have happened sooner.

“I think the choice to go back to red was going to happen pretty soon anyways,” Murphy said. “I feel like the school just got

Students finish school work a week after returning to green. The district has made the decision to go to the red model, as there has been an uptick in COVID-19 related quarantines since returning to green, causing a shortage of staff in the building. As of Nov. 6, 8.64% of the district is quarantined. PHOTO BY EMILY HELMUTH

back into green and they were hoping that the cases would lower over the days, which it didn’t. I don’t really blame them for not making it all e-learning sooner since it’s just more difficult on the teachers.”

According to Murphy, he personally has mixed emotions about the change, as he noted that although it will be easier for him to get his work done, he had concerns about some of his more difficult classes.

“The thing I’m looking forward to in e-learning is that once you are done with all your work you can just leave,” Murphy said. “It usually takes me around three to five hours to get all my work done on e-learning days. [Something] I’m going to miss from green is how it’s so easy to ask teachers questions about things you are confused about. Right now I’m in Pre-AP chemistry. I struggled so much at the beginning, and I’m worried it might go down because of e-learning.”

Senior Mariana Serratos says she is looking forward to the transition, as she believes it shows students how real this pandemic is.

“During the transition to red, I’m looking forward to putting my family’s safety first, and reflecting on how serious this virus really is,” Serratos said. “I feel like people don’t take it seriously anymore, which is part of the reason we are going back to red.”

Marcinek said that Wednesdays would be utilized the same way they have been thus far this school year.

“Wednesdays will continue to be used as they are now,” Marcinek said. “Teachers will follow their office hours and use the time with their students as they see fit.”

Despite the transition to red, students will still be able to receive free meals from the school. Parents were sent an email from food service director Pam Maloney stating that meal pick up days will be each Monday starting Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Crown Point High School, Timothy Ball Elementary School, Jerry Ross Elementary School, and MacArthur Elementary School. Parents must reply to Maloney’s email with the names of their children, the school they attend, and what pick up location they want to pick up meals from by Friday, Nov. 13 if interested.