Students and staff members will no

RETURN TO IN-PERSON POSTPONED Previously planned date of Nov. 30 changed tentatively to Jan. 5

MIKA KIPNIS news staff

As the first semester comes to an end, what many students and staff members had originally planned Nov. 30 to look like has drastically changed after they received an email from Dr. Jim Wipke Nov. 16. The email stated that the decision to return to school would be delayed from the originally planned date of Nov. 30 to Jan. 5 — the beginning of the second semester.

“I think a heavy consideration that helped inform our superintendent was the concern of staffing, particularly at our lower levels,” principal Brad Griffith said. “With the number of isolations and quarantines, it is very difficult to provide additional staff [at the lower levels] to help support K through 8. So, if the high school were to open, then all of that staff obviously couldn’t support the other buildings, so that became our priority.”

The Ladue administration worked through the issues, procedures and safety protocols that came up at the lower level, and felt the reintegration that began in mid-October had been an overall success. There had been no indications for the County Department of Health to discontinue the process of returning high school students back to school Nov. 30, until dramatic spikes in COVID-19 cases became a cause for concern. Some students worried about whether or The schedule of classes will remain not Ladue would proceed with their the same as it has been for the first original plan to open in-person or semester. Mondays will continue to be postpone the reintegration process to a seminar day and classes will begin a later date. at 10:00 a.m. and end at 1:20 p.m. on

“I think it’s probably the worst Tuesdays and Thursdays and 2:20 p.m. time to go back now,” freshman Rosie on Wednesdays and Fridays. Huewe said. “I think we should stay “I was not very surprised when I online until we know for sure that found out that the school decided not cases are going down and it’s a little to open since the cases are going in safer.” the wrong direction and the school

Some students and staff worry that wants us to be as safe as possible,” sestudents are being robbed of import- nior Jordan Samson said. “Overall, the ant socialization that would have administration has been doing a really occurred during an in-person school good job. This is such a tricky situday. The concern for students’ mental ation that no one has been through health was a major factor in advo- before and it’s hard to determine what cating to open Ladue on Nov. 30. Before the decision was made to postpone the opening, “ “If it is possible for us to restore some component of is right.” Returning to in-person learning, whenever it may be, will be a dynamic many students and staff were looking forward normalcy, we want to get back to that.” process. Understanding this is important for to being in an BRAD GRIFFITH | principal both students environment and staff to where students could have the mean- make adjustments and be flexible as ingful aspect of learning face-to-face. new challenges arise.

“You build a relationship with “What I hope comes out of this folks, and now, I don’t do that.” sci- is that we recognize and value what ence teacher Jeff Vetter said. “Zoom happens inside of this space much is really hard from a conversation more so than we ever did,” Griffith piece. Who wants to say they don’t said. “Yes, there are things that are understand something in the middle annoying about school, but at the end of a Zoom? Whereas in person they of the day, what we do here, it means can call me over.” something.” p

THE ROAD TO REOPENING PART 2: the latest developments in the plan for reopening

OCT. 12 The School Board announces the return to in-person school to be Nov. 30

OCT. 19 Elementary schools begin their return to in-person school, phase one of the reentrance process

NOV. 16 Dr. Wipke sends out an email that postpones the return to school from Nov. 30 to Jan. 5

JAN. 5 Current proposed date of returning to in-person for the high school