better safe than sorry

Safe Science

Masking Up Back to Reality. Freshman Allan Burrows and sophomore Melina Carpio complete classwork in an Acting I class. Many aspects of in-person school have been altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Mariajose Vera

Safe Science. Coach Christopher Fitz-Gerald helps freshman Zainub Siddiqi in an environmental science class on an assignment while wearing his mask incorrectly. Photo by Mariajose Vera

Masking Up. Sophomore Brooke Glaros and senior Paula Recio in Caitlyn Hanley’s marine science class wear their face masks properly over their nose and mouth. Photo by Mariajose Vera

have to do to keep us and everyone around us safe, but it does have some negative parts to it,” junior Manoela Ford said. “For me, the worst thing is the heat because it is already so hot out, and wearing a mask makes it worse.”

Students can be exempt from wearing a mask with an approved IEP, 504 Plan or Health Plan with signed documentation from a licensed medical professional.

However, the mask mandate is not entirely enforced. Students can often be seen wearing their masks below their noses when walking to other classes or standing outside in the morning. Many students take their masks off for the entirety of lunch, even after they are finished eating.

“Walking around campus and seeing students who are not wearing their masks properly is disrespectful and inconsiderate to everyone around them,” junior Olivia Alvarez said. “Not only are they putting themselves in danger, but they are also putting their peers’ health at risk, which is selfish.”

Other COVID-19 guidelines for BCPS include the encouragement of students and staff to fill out a Health Screening Examination before attending school each morning. The virtual checklist asks if the individual has had any symptoms that could indicate COVID-19 such as a fever, or if they had recently come into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.

A minimum of 3 feet is maintained between students in classrooms, hallways and indoor common spaces, when possible. There is daily cleaning of high frequency touch points and weekly disinfection. Moreover, BCPS continues to provide two nurses per school and offer voluntary COVID-19 tests at all schools as well as reinforce frequent hand-washing.

In contrast to the 2020-2021 school year, standard seating capacity has resumed on school buses, school cafeterias are open for meal service through the traditional food service line and all sports and athletic facilities are now open.

Another major change brought by the COVID-19 pandemic is the plan of many school districts to embrace an online learning program even after the pandemic induced remote learning is behind us.

Students at MSD will not have the option for e-Learning this year. Virtual classes are only available to student enrolled in Broward Virtual School or Florida Virtual School.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that remote learning is not for everyone with over 60,000 BCPS students being identified by the district as not meeting adequate academic progress. More than half of these students signed up for voluntary summer school in order to better catch up and prepare for the current school year.

The pandemic has also changed the structure of the classroom. This year, many teachers have set up their rooms with seats that are further spread out, eliminating whatever space was allocated for walking, in an already tight classroom space. Desks are no longer pushed together to form table groups, but instead are placed individually around the classroom to account for social distancing.

However, this is not true in every room. Some classrooms have returned to business as normal, with the only change being that teachers now must submit a seating chart to allow for contact