Coronavirus Special Edition - March/April 2020

the

Standard Coronavirus Special Edition

March/April 2020 The American School in London | One Waverley Place | London NW8 0NP U.K. | standard.asl.org

Inside the issue 3 4 5 6 7 8/9

Connection defies Coronavirus Administration reveals behind the scenes DLP allows courses to continue Seniors grapple with lost final quarter Student athletes train at home Coronavirus by the numbers

10 11 12 13 14 15

Fear of virus fuels over-stocking Teachers adapt to distance learning Coronavirus changes standardized tests Past outbreaks present need for immediate action Coronavirus brings unexpected waves Self-isolation promotes appreciation

Online content

The Coronavirus Special Edition is a hybrid publication. This print edition showcases only a portion of The Standard’s content. For more coverage, visit standard.asl.org to read exclusive news, features and commentaries as well as extended versions of articles run in this magazine. Online content includes:

Features

Opinions

•Senior athletes reflect on missing spring sports season

•Coronavirus doesn’t provide excuse for racism

•Alumni return home after semester cancelation

•Coronavirus necessitate global cooperation

•Community reacts to U.K. lockdown measures

•Lockdown measures have harmful consequences Illustration by Gabrielle Meidar

Illustration by Isabelle Lhuilier

the Standard

The Standard staff and adviser are dedicated to creating a collaborative, open forum that cultivates productive dialogue within the School community by publishing exemplary student news media according to the strictest standards of journalistic integrity.

JOHN TOWFIGHI Editor-in-Chief ISABELLE LHUILIER Deputy Editor-inChief: Print JONATHAN NOVAK Deputy Editor-inChief: Online CAMERON SPURR News Editor: Print ISABEL LINK News Editor: Print LUCAS ROMUALDO News Editor: Online ALLEGRA ALBANESE Opinions Editor: Print SAL CERRELL Opinions Editor: Online LEA GEORGE Lead Features Editor ZAINAB ADIL Features Editor: Print HELEN ROTH Features Editor: Online EMILY FORGASH Culture Editor: Print RAUNAK LALLY Culture Editor: Online LILY WHITMAN Sports Editor: Print MICHAEL FLAHERTY Sports Editor: Online IMOGEN WEISS Media Director ROHAN HAARMANN Media Editor MADDY WHITMAN Media Editor STAFF WRITERS Maarya Shafqat Adil, Willa Blair, Kira Crutcher, Houdah Daniels, Polina Dashevsky, Daniel de Beer, Amber de Saint-Exupéry, Anabelle Fox, Mia George Grace Hamilton, Chloe Howell, Gabrielle Meidar, Ella Podurgiel, Gabriel Romualdo, Jasmin Taylor

2 Table of Contents

LOUISA AVERY Adviser CARTOONISTS Zainab Adil, Raunak Lally EDITORIALS Articles published without a byline and presented in the same location issue-toissue represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. They are unsigned.

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The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Connection defies coronavirus Editorial

C

OVID-19 is undoubtedly testing the world. It is our generation’s greatest global challenge yet and is changing our society in a way that we have never experienced before.

Generations before us have experienced worldwide disasters.

War and disease both struck the globe in the 20th century. Even more recently, our parents had to endure the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, followed by the worst global recession in nearly a century.

Yet, this is a novel crisis for all. Governments are imposing nationwide lockdowns on a scale not seen in recent history. From pilots to academics, everyone has been affected. According to UNESCO, 89% of students worldwide have been sent home from school.

Despite the uncertainty that comes with these changes to our lives, we must recognize and understand that we can’t control what happens. However, we can choose what lessons we take from this situation.

In 30 years, how will textbooks explain the pandemic? Will we be judged by the way we dealt with it or applauded for how we developed as a society afterward?

It is important to take time to process what we’re going through.

At the start of 2020, it would have been difficult to believe this was going to be our reality in three months. This pandemic is a threat to everyone. It doesn’t provide warning for who, when or where it will strike.

We must also acknowledge that the coronavirus affects everyone in different ways and to different extents. Health concerns cut off income for millions of people. Crowded hospitals force doctors to work overtime, sacrificing both their family and, in many cases, their safety. Families with at-risk loved ones have had to endure a heightened sense of anxiety.

With all this strife, many may initially see it as a time of grief and suffering. Upon reflection, though, it will be viewed as a time that

“

It is important to be aware of how our world will be irrevocably changed.

People must find ways to endure and move forward. was filled with uncertainty, but also brought about a greater sense of global unity, despite the literal isolation which exists. Although this is a dire situation we find ourselves in, it has seemingly brought out the best of our society.

It was heartwarming to see that on March 26 and April 9, people across the U.K. opened their windows, clapped, hooped and hollered for the thousands of NHS workers at the front lines of the outbreak response. People stuck their heads out of their windows, cheering for unknown individuals who they would likely never meet.

At Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas, Georgia, the whole town went to the local hospital in their cars and blinked

March/April 2020

Illustration by Zainab Shafqat Adil

their lights in support of the workers. People across the world have turned to social media to engage in challenges and share videos to create a sense of connection. Across India, people banged together pots and cheered for their health care workers.

Just as we are connected to those halfway across the world, we are also connected to our school community. Unity is much more difficult now, but is also a primary focus for members of the school.

There is a sense that people are coming together in a time of crisis.

It’s almost as if we are trying to hold virtual hands as a community, and the result has been pretty astounding.

Many councils and clubs in the High School have begun solidifying projects to create a sense of normalcy among the community.

Faculty have been supportive in the distance learning transition and are reaching out to students, despite not being in the classroom.

Grade 12 students and Dean Ivan Hauck have been brainstorming what grade-wide activities can create a sense of bonding.

It seems as if people are taking common steps toward embracing where we are and supporting each other through it.

A government lockdown and social distancing are new practices.

We are all living a different life, driven by a virus which we cannot control. It’s emotionally taxing.

Through all of this, though, humanity has nevertheless shown an overwhelming sense of positivity and unity that exemplifies the power of love and hope in these situations. Trying to find means of connection is what has kept us going.

It is important to be aware of how our world will be irrevocably changed. People must find ways to endure and move forward.

Spending time talking to those closest to us often helps. As we are learning to value connection now, we must continue that into the future.

We want to make sure we are proud of the way our response is remembered. This is something we are going to be telling our grandchildren about, so we must be proactive and set an example of how to handle situations of crisis.

Not only should we help others, but we should take care of ourselves and retain some sense of normalcy in how we conduct ourselves. When people learn about this in history class, we don’t want to seem as though we were fixated on how miserable this situation was. Rather, this should be seen as a time when we banded together to each play our role against the hidden enemy. We must not let isolation beat connection.

Editorial 3

Admin reveals behind the scenes of running school Emily Forgash Culture Editor: Print

D

espite the school’s closure, faculty and staff are still working behind the scenes to make the transition to online school as efficient as possible and maintain the campus.

The decision to close the school until April 17 was not based on instructions from the U.K. government, but was instead decided by the administration. However, Head of School Robin Appleby said that the school tracks advice from the government.

“We have all sorts of channels that we use to track advice,” she said. “Some of it is people we know within the government who can give us heads up on what’s coming, what the thinking is.”

Months before the school’s closure, High School Principal Devan Ganeshananthan said that the Senior Leadership Team and the Academic Leadership Team had already started working on the Distance Learning Plan in Febuary.

“The planning for distance learning really honestly started way back at the beginning of the coronavirus,” he said. “At that point it was pretty unlikely ... Most people thought this was some kind of distant issue that would never come to our shores.”

Illustration by Emily Forgash

4 News/Features

Then, once the threat of school closing became inevitable, Appleby said that the leadership teams started establishing the logistics of the DLP. “We’ve done a ton of work to really fill it out and try to make it align with the philosophy for teaching and learning that we already had in place at the school,” she said.

Ganeshananthan said that the DLP evolved from an originally asynchronous model to a more synchronous one due to a variety of factors.

“We did want to make sure that we were focusing more specifically on making sure that there is some flexibility,” he said.

Appleby agreed, and said that it is unrealistic and unnecessary to hold Zoom sessions for entire class periods.

“We don’t think it’s healthy for kids to sit and stare at a computer for four 80 minute blocks a day, so that’s why it’s a combination of synchronous and asynchronous,” she said.

Appleby said that another aspect of distance learning that is still being developed is determining how testing will work.

“Obviously traditional testing … won’t be done. It’s very difficult to do that in the same way, so we’re going to get creative and find new ways going forward.”

Zoom calls, however, aren’t restricted to distance learning. Director of Operations Jim Heynderickx said that he has frequent Zoom meetings with the Operations Team and the Senior Leadership Team.

“We had a Senior Leadership Team [meeting] yesterday for an hour and a half with all 12 of us on Zoom together,” he said. “To be honest, it’s surprisingly effective given that none of us were on campus.”

Ganeshananthan said that it seems as though a majority of the community is up to speed on how to use Zoom. However, he said that there are some drawbacks to using Zoom as a form of communication. “[Zoom is] not nearly the same thing as being in person,” he said. “You miss physical cues, body language, tone. It’s very easy for people to tune out, so to speak.”

Overall, though, Appleby said that Zoom helps the community maintain personal connections.

“Zoom works really well, and it does feel personal,” she said. “People need that connection, so almost all of my Zoom meetings will start with five to 10 minutes

of people just checking in and saying ‘hey, how are you doing? What are you doing?’”

Although most faculty members are working over Zoom, Heynderickx said that there are still people working on campus.

However, he said they are trying to keep these numbers to a minimum.

“We have about four different groups of employees on campus who are absolutely essential to come to campus, even if it’s completely empty,” he said.

Security guards, two maintenance staff members per day, the accounts office staff and members of the operations team still work at the school during this period. In addition, the aquatics team goes into school twice a week to check on the pool.

From home, Heynderickx said that he has been reorganizing future construction projects with contractors due to social distancing policies. “[Government policies are] causing us to delay some projects or rethink some projects we [were] planning to do either in the next few months or over the summer,” he said.

Appleby said that another aspect that is being taken into consideration is how the school impacts the greater community.

“We’re also thinking about our larger community,” she said. “How do we fit into it? All of the community service that we are usually providing, if we can’t provide that, how else can we help?”

In response to these questions, Appleby said that different classes are working to give back to the community.

“There are classes, for instance, that are doing things like writing letters to old age pensioners who they used to see on a regular basis,” she said.

Also, Ganeshananthan said that Director of Student Life James Perry is working with student-run clubs to “create additional normalcy” and connections for students.

However, Ganeshananthan said that it’s important to acknowledge that there’s a limit to how normal and productive our lives can be from home.

“That’s going to have a ceiling, so to speak,” he said. “We’re going to reach an asymptote ... as to how good this is going to be instructionally, interpersonally, everything.”

Ultimately, Ganeshananthan said that the main factor being taken into consideration behind the scenes is the wellbeing of the community.

“The first and most important thing,” he said, “is really people’s health and wellness.”

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Distance Learning Plan allows courses to continue Cameron Spurr News Editor: Print

C

OVID-19 has generated a lot of uncertainty around learning at the school. Worldwide, many schools have closed for the remainder of the year. ASL elected to continue online, implementing its Distance Learning Plan. For many in the community, this transition is a brand new venture.

Currently, school will be closed through April 17. If the U.K. government permits the re-opening of schools, the administration will then decide whether to return to regular operations. For some students, such as Valentine Cole (’22), this came as a surprise.

“To be told that we weren’t going to go back to school for over a month was just a shock,” Cole said.

Graphic by Cameron Spurr

Director of Technology Nadjib Aktouf said he felt the process of outlining the DLP and ensuring all of its elements were understood by students was “effective.”

School closed March 13, but classes didn’t begin until March 23 to give teachers adequate time to organize classes and lesson plans for when the DLP began.

Spanish Teacher Whitney Nuchereno said that she used this period of time to work with fellow Foreign Language Teacher Victoria Hamadache to prepare their distance learning content.

Nuchereno said that “the communication [from adminstration] was as good as it could have been” regarding relaying the DLP to teachers.

With the prolonged closure, Cole said that she worried about the quality of her learning. After the first week of the DLP, she said that, through Zoom, it’s difficult for teachers to effectively teach the content of the lesson.

March/April 2020

“It’s really hard for teachers to teach through Zoom, so we’re not really learning anything from Zoom,” she said.

For some, like Jon Bianco-Burrill (’20), the DLP has come with hiccups. “[Students] are still learning how to properly use the software,” he said.

Bianco-Burrill also said that discussions over Zoom have been difficult.

“In terms of Harkness discussions, you can’t really have that fluid of one with Zoom calls,” he said.

Aktouf said that he understands the difficulty of the shift.

“I’m very impressed with everybody in our community and how they’ve handled the transition to distance learning at such a turbulent time,” Aktouf said.

Logo used with permission from Zoom Communications

Cole said that one-on-one time with her teachers has been especially helpful, in particular with her SLD teacher.

“It’s just a time to make sure I’m organized [and] keeping up to date with everything,” she said.

Nuchereno said that one problem distance learning poses is that students are not all in the same time zone.

“The school has been really clear for weeks that when we were going to [distance learning], ... everything would be in U.K. time, but that still meant that some kids were missing sessions,” she said.

Nuchereno said that she found communication with students has improved under distance learning.

“Some kids who wouldn’t normally ask me for extra help are emailing me more than they normally would,” she said.

Like Nuchereno, Cole said that though different than before, communication with teachers has not been an issue. She said that her teachers have responded quickly to any questions through email.

Nuchereno said that a further challenge the DLP has brought is how students will be assessed. Nuchereno and her department have been researching methods of testing students to eradicate the possibility of cheating. However, she said that her system will also partly rely on an “honor code,” which puts faith in students’ integrity.

Moving forward, Aktouf said the administration and the Academic Leadership Team will continue to work on the DLP. “The feedback that we get is constant,” he said. “It’s hard to make radical changes and shifts in this first week, but we do acknowledge that there may be components of the DLP that will have to be tweaked.”

Instead of following a lesson planwhich introduced new content or reviewed prior topics, Cole said that many of her Zoom classes have just been “check-ins.”

However, Cole said that she recognizes the difficulties that distance learning poses for teachers. *John Towfighi and Isabel Link contributed “I know how much work the teachers are to reporting. putting into Zoom,” she said. “I appreciate how much they’re doing.”

Cole said that despite the diffiHow satisfied are you with the DLP? culties, there are benefits to doing schoolwork from home, such as 8.3% very satisfied getting more sleep and working according to one’s own schedule.

58% satisfied Similarly, Bianco-Burrill said that distance learning has helped his time management.

29% dissatisfied “[Distance learning] has actually allowed me to become more or4.7% very dissatisfied ganized because I have a set schedule of when my calls are and what Data collected from an online survey conducted by to expect,” Bianco-Burrill said.

The Standard from April 1-3 with 169 responses.

News/Features 5

Seniors grapple with lost final quarter Isabelle Lhuilier Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Print Imogen Weiss Media Director

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fter reading the email that school would be closed until April 17 due to COVID-19, and likely long after that, Laura de Beer (’20) burst into tears.

“I started to cry immediately because the last Thursday I had was such a bad day,” she said. “I didn't get to talk to as many people as I wanted to and I was busy all day trying to get things done.”

Russell Cornelius (’20) initially wanted school to close. Yet, he said he soon realized that this would not be time off school or as “fun” as he first thought.

“I thought it through and the reality is we’re just going to go home and do school work, except we don’t get to be around other people in our grade and don’t get to hang out with our friends,” he said.

While Maya Bajpai (’20) knew school was going to close eventually, she was surprised by how quickly it actually did.

“I had a feeling it was going to happen at some point, but the abruptness of one day being at school and everything being normal and then suddenly hearing we are out for a month and a half was a huge shock,” she said.

De Beer said that, thinking optimistically, school could reopen at the end of May, but the most likely scenario would be it remains closed for the rest of the semester. For de Beer, the thought of missing out on the last quarter of her Grade 12 year is extremely upsetting.

“Grade 12 is a year you wait for your entire life,” she said.

“You see all these seniors, and you look up to them and you just wait for your year. Senior year is the year that you really get to know everyone on a much deeper level because it's your last year together.”

Cornelius said he has also looked forward to senior year, in particular being in second semester.

“Second semester of your senior year is the best time of senior year,” he said. “As someone who's been here since K1, there were a lot of [aspects of being in Grade 12] I’ve been told about my whole life ... I feel sad because I can’t do the things I’ve dreamt of doing.”

Cornelius also said one aspect he misses most about going to school is the unity that Bottom O provides.

“Having a space like Bottom O allows you to get so much closer to your grade,” he said. “I don’t only get to see my friends during the breaks between classes, but I see and hang out with kids in my whole entire grade. It’s funny what you miss when you don’t have it.”

An extended lockdown becomes more likely in the U.K. as the death toll increases. Further Grade 12 traditions such as the tube photo and graduation could also be canceled.

The prospect of missing out on the typical graduation ceremony at Westminster Hall is saddening for de Beer. She said her family members were planning to travel to London to celebrate the event.

“I have been thinking about this, and I’d definitely be really upset because it's something that I’ve been looking forward to my whole life. I don't say this lightly. I truly mean it,” she said.

Photo illustration by Isabelle Lhuilier

6 News/Features

De Beer said one potential option for graduation discussed during a senior council meeting was through Zoom. “[We] were thinking of doing small break-out rooms in advisory or in friend groups first just to say a few words, and for everyone to get to [reflect on] senior year,” she said. “We would then all tune into a live stream where [Principal Devin Ganeshananthan] would give us a final speech and a final goodbye.”

However, de Beer would like to “postpone rather than cancel” or have a virtual graduation. A main reason de Beer wants to postpone graduation is to say goodbye to her teachers one final time.

“That's the hardest part of this all: teachers who you don't have classes with that you would normally just see on a daily basis,” she said. “Now, there is no way of getting in contact with them if you don't have a Zoom meeting.”

Cornelius said he thinks the best form of saying goodbye to teachers given the circumstances is by “pursuing the passion for learning [that] we all have.”

“The best goodbye that we can have with our teachers is continuing to work and pursue our academics,” he said.

De Beer said she plans to remain in the U.K. until the lockdown ends in order to meet up with her friends one last time.

“I’d wait it out in London until I could see everyone because I think it’s worth it,” she said.

Bajpai said she is comforted that she will keep in touch with her friends after leaving ASL and knows she will see them again.

“Luckily, a lot of my friends and I are confident in our relationship, that we are going to keep it up even once we are in college,” she said.

De Beer said she is determined to say a final goodbye to her friends in person.

“I would dress up in a hazmat suit, and I would go to their houses and give them a final hug,” she said. “I really would have to say a proper goodbye, not online.”

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Student-athletes adjust training during lockdown Jonathan Novak Deputy Editor-In-Chief: Online

E

ight practices a week consisting of 15 hours in the pool and three hours of general fitness.

Swimmer Lauren Brantley (’20) had been exercising at least that much every week since September.

However, on March 18, all of her practices were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Brantley has been swimming competitively since she was 10 years old for Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club. She has never taken a break from the water for longer than four weeks. Now, Brantley said she won’t be able to swim until at least the end of May. “Taking such a prolonged break is going to be awful for our fitness, our technique ... everything,” she said.

Similarly, Jake Fellows (’21) who is a member of the varsity boys tennis team, along with an outside of school team called Globe Tennis Club, has recently lost all of his ability to train.

“There’s nothing that’s available,” Fellows said. “My club where I normally play is shut down … I’ve asked a bunch of people around the city, like other players that I play with and my coaches, but they’re all saying the same thing ... everything’s locked.”

As a talented tennis player, Fellows is

looking to try and play at a U.S. university, and this spring break, he planned to attend tournaments and visit some of the schools in which he was interested. But, all of his plans got canceled.

Like Brantley, Fellows is worried about taking so much time off tennis, as he is expecting to be unable to play for at least three weeks during the government-mandated lockdown.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve taken three weeks off tennis,” he said. “I’m definitely concerned about being rusty. I don’t know how I’m going to feel holding a racket. It’s going to be like … holding something I’ve never held before.”

However, Leyth Sousou (’22), a member of the performance crew team, said he actually might be in better shape now because of the lockdown. Sousou has an ergometer, an indoor rowing machine, at home and has used it to train during the time school has been out.

Nevertheless, after previously rowing three times a week on an erg and three times a week on the River Thames, Sousou is worried about losing his technique on the water.

Although he’s been able to row at home, Sousou said he’s noticed himself less motivated because he can’t train with other members of the team in the usual practice setting.

“The team spirit of crew is really great,” he said. “When you’re not going on the

Photo by Farid Sousou

Leyth Sousou (’22) rows on an ergometer at his home. Although Sousou hasn’t been able to train with his teammates, he can still practice during the outbreak.

March/April 2020

water, crew isn’t that fun. So, without the team, it’s sort of hard to maintain the fun aspect of crew.”

Brantley’s swim team tries to maintain spirit during these times by having Zoom calls at 5 p.m. every day, where they either do exercises and yoga or team bonding activities like quiz nights.

Even though she has Zoom calls to supplement for pool time, Brantley said not swimming has affected her mood because she now does less physical exercise and has lost something so central to her life.

“If you ask my parents, I’ve been kind of a brat to live with because I mean, swimming was everything that I was really doing,” she said. “I would go to school, see my friends and swim. So, when you take all three of those away, it kind of left me with nothing to do.”

Brantley also said that losing her ability to practice has been hard for her mentally.

“It’s ... hard knowing that as every day passes, you get more and more out of shape.”

For Fellows, not being able to play tennis results in some of his time feeling empty.

“It’s boring,” Fellows said. “There’s like a whole chunk of the day where I’m just doing nothing. You can only play so many video games.”

Along with training, all of the competitions Brantley was preparing for were canceled. She was expecting to compete in Great Britain’s Olympic swimming trials in mid-April, but that event got canceled when the International Olympic Committee postponed the Olympics themselves.

The Summer British Championships, scheduled to take place in July, were also canceled.

The cancelation of these events was particularly disappointing for Brantley because she said she swam in a meet on the weekend of March 14-15 and was feeling in the best shape of her life.

“I was really gearing up towards Olympic trials,” she said. “I swam really well … to be in such good form and then to basically be told that I can’t swim for months is rough.”

Similar to Brantley, Sousou is missing future opportunities to compete. Crew is a three-season sport, but Sousou said most of the races they prepare for take place in the spring. Most notably, the Henley Royal Regatta, which is held in July and hosts international competitors.

News/Features 7

Have students’ views on the importance of human connections been changed by the pandemic?

21.9%

52.7%

Changed A Lot

Changed

21.9%

Not Changed

Not Changed At All

What do students miss most about school?

13.6%

73.4% Friends

Classes

5.3%

6.5% Sports

3.6%

Teachers

Coro b nu

1.2%

Extracurriculars

Are students worried about contracting the coronavirus?

10.7% Very Worried

49.1% Worried

34.9% Not Worried

5.3%

Not Worried At All

Do students feel supported by the ASL community?

10.1% Very Supported

8

69.2% Supported

Not Supported

17.2% Not Supported At All

3.5%

Data collected from conducted by The S 1-3 with 169 respo

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Who do students know that has been infected with the coronavirus?

Themselves

1.2%

A Family Member

A Friend

Someone Else

No One

1.8% 27.8%

27.8% 52.1% 7.7%

onavirus by the umbers

Did school close at the right time?

It should have closed later

76.9% It closed at the right time

15.4% It should have closed earlier

When do students think that school will reopen?

59.8%

m an online survey Standard from April onses.

3.0% End of April

March/April 2020

13.6% May

18.9% June

4.7% September

Later in the Fall

9

Fear of virus fuels over-stocking Isabel Link News Editor: Print

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“ t seems to be something new every week,” Malachy Doherty (’21) said when describing products disappearing at the Whole Foods where he works.

“At first it was toilet paper, and all the hand sanitizer was gone,” he said. “Then, for a week, I couldn't find a single egg anywhere.

Now it seems like canned goods.”

This occurrence, in the coronavirus outbreak, is referred to as panic-buying.

Ava Porter (’23) described the term as “buying everything you can see and not really thinking of what others will need.”

Ethan Snizek (’20), who works at one of Provenance Butcher’s stores in Maida Vale, witnessed the draining of the store’s stock.

“With the lockdown coming, there was a huge rush of panic-buying, and that included people lining up all day and buying hundreds of pounds worth of things,” he said.

Porter’s family is attempting to stay away from panic-buying and purchase the same amount of groceries as before the pandemic.

However, they are seeing products they normally buy vanishing from the shelves.

“My family aren't the people who are panic-buying because that's not fair to everyone else,” Porter said.

However, Snizek said his family felt the pressure to stock up on certain products.

“When everyone starts panic-buying, everything starts going, and then if you're not panic-buying, all of a sudden, you no longer have access to stuff,” Snizek said.

Doherty said that people are stocking up on as many products as they can to avoid returning to stores as much as possible.

“People don't want to go to the shops too often, and they stock up so they can increase the time between each trip,” he said.

As for what they are buying, Porter said that she notices that even meals for those with dietary restrictions such as gluten free vegan or vegetarian diets are purchased by others who do not adhere to those diets.

“If [those with dietary restrictions] are going to have a shortage of food, they're not going to have as many places to turn to as other people can,” Porter said.

Likewise, Zarina Choudari-Stewart (’21) said that these consumers are not thinking about their impact on the wider community.

“What's most important is to recognize that it isn't just you alone in this,” she said “The entire world is also affected.”

Consumers are left with some uncertainty, Doherty said, as they cannot predict what will be out of stock.

“There's always a sense of, ‘OK, I'm going to the shop, and I need to get something,’ but you think: ‘what if it's out?’” he said.

This can also be true of online grocery services, such as Ocado, which has been experiencing technical difficulties due to increased website traffic.

Now, when placing orders, Doherty’s family has to wait in an extensive queue.

Before the pandemic, they would often purchase their staple products, such as toilet paper, every month in bigger quantities, but this isn’t possible anymore.

Photo by Grace Hamilton

“[My mom] was on the Ocado website,” he said. “She wanted to just update her order, but she had to wait two hours to even get onto the website.”

At Snizek’s work, they implemented a rule, like many other stores, where only two or three customers were allowed to shop at a time.

“It keeps it more civilized,” he said. “But at the same time, when you sit outside waiting for two hours and when you finally get in the store, you feel the need like 'I got to buy a bunch of stuff.’”

There are some consumers who cannot easily access grocery stores or websites.

However, Choudari-Stewart said that she and her family are combating this issue by giving away pre-booked order slots and bringing supplies to elderly couples living in her neighborhood.

“We've just been ordering food to our house and then leaving it onto their doorstep because it's a bit difficult for them to use the internet to do the ordering for themselves,” she said.

Choudari-Stewart said she believes that people should recognize the values they share with others at this time.

“It's a time of terror, but in that terror there is love and compassion,” she said. “Although there is panic-buying and although there are some negative sides, people can rise up and just show that we are a community, whether it be in the ASL community or in the area you live.”

*Cameron Spurr contributed to reporting.

Photo by Isabelle Lhuilier

Left: Families stock up on essential groceries after a shelter in place was ordered. Residents bought necessary products in case they became unavailable. Right: Shoppers empty the paper products aisle at Waitrose on Gloucester Road. The medicine and canned goods aisles were similarly lacking.

10 News/Features

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Teachers adapt to distance learning Willa Blair Staff Writer Grace Hamilton Staff Writer After the administration made the decision to close the school March 14, teachers were given a period of one week to prepare for the transition to the Distance Learning Plan (DLP). Classes through the DLP officially began March 23, and are currently expected to continue until at least April 17.

MS/HS Band Teacher Carolyn Stock-Chapin said that the administration has handled communication with faculty and staff particularly well.

“Administration has been very good at thinking through every angle of the situation and doing what’s best for all of its constituents,” she said. “I’ve had several administrators call to check in with me to see if I’m okay and my family’s okay.

They’ve done a nice job with a very challenging, unprecedented situation.”

The administration allocated one week before the beginning of the DLP to give teachers a time period in which they could prepare for the transition, plan their class lessons and be able to communicate with their department.

“Giving teachers a bit of time to put

our heads around [the transition] was helpful for me,” Stock-Chapin said.

According to an email sent out by Head of School Robin Appleby, the administration chose to pursue a mainly asynchronous learning plan, allowing students to complete work at their own pace, whilst maintaining a structured schedule by attending one mandatory zoom per week and completing assigned classwork by a certain deadline. After experiencing two weeks of online classes, Math Teacher Jenny Wexler said that she is uncertain of the future of the DLP, but said that the asynchronous style has beneficial aspects. “[The DLP] provides an opportunity where [students] can do what they need, ask any questions they need,” Wexler said.

“I do like that individual part of it but I’m not sure long-term how well that’s going to play out.”

On the other hand Science Teacher Brad Moore, believes distance learning and Zoom meetings in particular will become easier over time.

“Once we get into a more routine schedule or when this becomes more normal there won’t be as much difficulty in trying to do these synchronous events,” he said.

Stock-Chapin said she is optimistic that the DLP will provide an opportunity for growth. She also said that continued

Illustration by Zainab Shafqat Adil

March/April 2020

distance learning will allow students and teachers alike to have experiences that they wouldn’t normally have if the school was not closed.

“We will grow in different ways than we would have in the brick and mortar classroom,” she said. “Music students will access opportunities and skills of composition and research; things that we would never take the time to do if there was a concert around the corner.”

Wexler also said that the DLP is encouraging students to become more independent in their own learning.

“So far, there are some students who I’ve been able to interact with and answer questions within this forum who don’t do that very much when we’re in the regular face-to-face school,” she said.

During the period of transition, teachers adapted in order to find a good balance between their work life and personal life.

For Wexler, this was about setting goals and expectations for herself, and also making sure to take breaks when necessary.

“Thursday of the first week was a really hard day,” she said. “It was the first day where I felt I had more work to do than I could possibly get done in the hours that I had to work. Part of it is just giving myself permission to acknowledge when there’s too much.”

Moreover, an increased workload is not the only challenge faced by teachers, as the vast majority of their work has been on a screen. Moore said that for him, planning, teaching and evaluating have all transferred to being on a computer screen.

“That’s the hard part, there’s too much screen time,” he said. “At school, I was very excited to go to class to get away from a computer screen, and that is the opposite now.”

Another challenge faced by music teachers in particular has been the cancellation of Music Tour and all of the music department’s upcoming concerts.

Stock-Chapin said that the lack of concerts can be a challenge when planning lessons in the curriculum.

“At the moment, we’re not sure how long we’re going to be in distance learning,” she said. “Some of the unknowns of planning the curriculum right now. What’s still being developed is the trajectory or scope and sequence of these lessons, and pushing towards goals.”

News/Features 11

Coronavirus changes standardized tests Helen Roth Features Editor: Online Lucas Romualdo News Editor: Online

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ecent academic changes due to he coronavirus outbreak extend far beyond the closure of school. Now, they include the cancellation of spring standardized tests and the shift to taking APs at home rather than at school.

For now, CollegeBoard has not announced plans for a new SAT testing date to replace the canceled May date. The next available SAT is scheduled for Aug. 29.

This is just two months before early application deadlines for many U.S. colleges.

Rohit Venuturupalli (’21) expected to take the May SAT after taking the test for the first time in March, but will now only be able to take it next in August.

The April ACT test, which is not administered by The College Board, was postponed to take place in June for similar reasons as the SAT cancellation.

Elena Stathopolous (‘21) planned to take the April exam, but is now only able to take it in June instead.

“My initial reaction [to the postponement] was more of a shock because having that extra score would have been really helpful for the future,” she said.

Meanwhile, Venuturupalli said that the cancellations have caused him additional stress because of how important they are to the college application process.

“I don’t have a confirmed SAT score that I can put on my applications and that I can send to the colleges I want to apply to,” he said. “I need to retake it and that just puts a lot more pressure on me.”

Stathopolous agreed, saying that she now feels like she has to “do even better” on the June ACT. “I was planning on doing the June one regardless, but now getting rid of one test feels like there is a lot more pressure to do better on the June one,” she said.

College Counselor and Grade 12 Dean Ivan Hauck said that the change in testing would lead to a re-evaluation on the importance of standardized testing for universities.

“It is going to put any university which relies on AP testing, IB testing, A-levels, any of these standardized tests, in a very

challenging position to try to figure out what to do,” he said. “It’s going to be incredibly challenging for universities to make decisions about student applications with very limited, reliable information.”

For Hauck, this change is an opportunity to modify the application process.

“From an institutional standpoint, they will think about what do they represent as an institution?,” he said. “Do they necessarily need to rely on testing?”

In addition to the SAT and ACT test cancellations, the annual AP exams will now last 45 minutes and have been reduced to cover only specific units of each AP subject. Content will come from approximately the first 75% of units in the AP course as many schools have been unable to reach later units due to closures.

Ethan Otero (’21), who takes six AP classes, said the adjustment of having less material is beneficial.

“I’m personally happy about it because there is less to study,” he said.

On the other hand, Lindsay Harris (’20) said that having the exams not cover all the material from the year is frustrating.

“We spent six to seven months learning the material [for the course] ... to put it into a 45 minute test is a bit ridiculous,” she said. “I don’t think 45 minutes is enough to capture the amount of work we have put into these courses and all the material we have had to learn.”

Though Hauck acknowledges that having 45 minute tests isn’t sufficient to demonstrate a student’s knowledge, he said that it tests a different type of learning.

“The way that you process information, quickly take in a question and filter all the information you have in a nice, concise, answer ... is a more important skill set in

terms of real world thinking,” he said.

However, Social Studies Teacher Becky Mason, who teaches AP U.S. History, said that having a 45 minute test does not do students’ learning justice.

“Rather than understanding history, it becomes a race,” she said.

Otero said that the best solution was to have The College Board cancel the exams and use predicted scores instead.

“The level you are doing in that class at that moment is a much better indicator on how you will do in college than this exam,” he said.

Mason said that instead of having the exam, The College Board should have students submit a portfolio of their work.

“We could do something on coursework,” she said. “You could present that as evidence and as a portfolio ... you could show the growth from the terrible results in the beginning until the end [of the year].”

Regarding the exams, Otero highlighted the greater chance of cheating since the tests are now to be taken at home.

“Cheating is going to happen,” he said.

“Some people aren’t as prepared as others and could cheat,” he said.

Hauck agrees with Otero, and said that cheating is inevitable all over the world, no matter the situation.

“The reality is that, yes, students probably feel more inclined to take advantage of additional resources,” he said. “A big part of the whole educational process is founded on the notion that students are responsible and proactive for their own learning, which includes integrity and honesty.”

Illustrations by Lea George

12 News/Features

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Past outbreaks present need for immediate action Isabel Link News Editor: Print

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shared aspect of viruses caused by the diseases COVID-19, SARS and MERS is that they originated from contact between humans and animals.

Collectively, zoonotic diseases (illnesses originating from animals) do not always come from consuming wild or endangered animals. However, the current pandemic could have been avoided without the existence and acceptance of wildlife trade within wet markets in China.

It can be difficult to trace transmission between species that are afflicted before our own, but both the current SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV were linked to wet markets in China where animals are brutally slaughtered and sold. MERS-Cov was found to be passed from camels to people, according to the American Lung Association, first identified in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012.

Although these examples highlight how illnesses can transfer via the exploitation of animals, there are other zoonotic diseases like Malaria or Zika, that did not affect humans because of consumption or exploitation. Instead, they evolved in mosquito populations, transferring to non-human, as well as human, hosts.

At the same time, the Ebola virus is thought to be connected to eating wild animals such as fruit bats and porcupines, in addition to the bushmeat trade of non-human primates in Africa. The latter is also traced to the origins of HIV, according to the World Health Organization.

It is important to note the cultural importance of many animals sold in these markets, which are often seen as valuable. On the other hand, bushmeat from primates, often chimpanzees, is sold and eaten in poorer villages, as reported by the University of East Anglia’s School of Biological Sciences. Therefore, trafficking wild animals is, in some countries, a voluntary practice, while others do it out of necessity.

most areas where exploitation of wildlife and habitat destruction are still common.

Although the National People’s Congress in China banned wet markets Feb. 24, replacing their earlier temporary ban, altering the culture around trafficking and eating wild animals is not as simple.

In addition to trading, deforestation forces animal populations to more often coexist with humans; each instance of contact presents another opportunity for transferring diseases from animals to humans and vice versa. Consequently, by claiming land for farming and accommodating expanding populations, we are putting ourselves at a greater risk for outbreaks such as that wrought by COVID-19.

Limiting the consumption of meat would decrease the chance of contracting not all, but certainly many, zoonotic diseases. Additionally, the vast amount of land used for raising animals, especially cattle, would not be needed, and eventually, it could be reforested for its rightful residents.

However, the popularity of animal products, and, therefore, deforestation, bodes imminent mistakes. But, we do not have another decade to recognize this pattern firsthand. Realistically, practices will not change without government support and action, but we can advocate for this change that will protect us and future generations.

If we act now, we will not have to ask ourselves, to what avail did we endure this pandemic? It is our choice whether to call for means of prevention, not simply containment and treatment, or await the day to don a mask again.

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It is your choice whether to call for means of prevention or await the day to don a mask again.

This does not mean that cultures and practices should not be questioned under this lens. We are rightly taught to accept traditions and should continue to do so, so long as they don’t risk the creation of a health crisis.

We have not drawn from past epidemics when it comes to the handling of animal exploitation and disease. Following the SARS outbreak of 2002-2004, wet markets in China were closed temporarily. Yet, their reopening led to the current, widespread global infection.

A lesson that should have been learned almost 18 years ago has yet to reach the government body, not only in China, but in

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Opinions 13

Coronavirus brings ups, downs John Towfighi Editor-in-Chief

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’ve spent more time in my room in the past three weeks than I did for the whole month of February. My school bag has sat in the same spot by my desk. The typical day I spend lounging on my bed, reading to pass time, is far from what would be my regular, lively day running around the High School.

In all this alone time, I’ve been checking the news and checking in with friends.

Reassuringly, it seems everyone is talking about how we are all in this together.

Students around the globe have had their schools closed. We are all sharing the common consequences of the terrible coronavirus pandemic.

From our communal sense of doubt there has grown this sense of unity. That being said, while we are unified in reacting to the same situation, I have begun to understand how it can be immensely personal and different for each individual.

On the surface we are in the same situation. Yet, as we watch the virus grow and begin to become familiar with this new unknown reality, the ways in which it uniquely affects our lives will also become more apparent.

It is important to not overlook how it is beginning to affect my own life. This pandemic is such an unfamiliar occurrence, it can be hard at first to register that it may harm people I know.

My mom casually mentioned at dinner the other night that my grandpa would be at risk if he got the virus. He has a history of respiratory issues and sleeps with a breathing aid. My grandma on my dad’s side is also at risk. She has had pneumonia a few times before and currently lives in Boston, where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly.

In London, my family still gets groceries delivered by workers who are required to keep showing up to work. We clap on Thursdays at 8 p.m. for the health-care

14 Opinions

workers who are sacrificing their safety to be at the front-lines of this fight. As I go on walks with my dog, I see people working in shops wearing masks and gloves.

The virus has a direct effect on my life and the people around me in ways I hadn’t initially considered. While I am caught up in reading stories from around the world about what the virus has done, I overlook that there are stories around me that I should give more thought to.

As the pandemic has turned from an overseas threat to a cause of legitimate stress for the people in my life, I have tried to spend time figuring out how I fit into all of this.

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These next few months may have more peaks and troughs than I usually experience.

For certain, this situation will fill my life with more ups and downs. These upcoming months were going to be a tremendously meaningful time – a sort of peak of the long arc of Grade 12. The bitter-sweet moments that come with the end of high school were nearly here. I’ve grown up here, and my whole life have looked forward to this infamous second-semester of Grade 12.

Now, rather than one long arc, there will be more frequent highs and lows. I am living in a new reality. The semester that I envisioned, this picturesque end to my time in London, is not going to happen.

Instead of reminiscing with people in my grade, I have been alone for the past month. The number of days I’d be spending in my house has started to register in my head as I receive more notifications about the number of COVID-19 deaths.

Infections are growing exponentially. Press briefings and daily news only bring more

signs that self-isolation is needed for possibly months.

While these moments have brought downs, I find myself on the way back up at points. I am a bit unsure at times, but I don’t want to dwell in the lows forever. I am healthy and safe. The curiosity of seeing what can make me happy in this new situation is beginning to nudge out the idle dread of doing nothing.

Coming out of winter, I had intended for spring to be a time of reflection as I prepared to leave for college. My situation is now miles apart from what I had thought it would be, but I can still find a way to reflect on my high school experience. Closure is something I know I value.

I have to navigate these different waves of the coronavirus and find my own means of resolution.

These next few months may have more peaks and troughs than I usually experience. It is a time of heightened emotion.

It is a feeling of being so close yet so far, of still silence in place of hallways of laughter. Rather than mindlessly ride out these waves, I want to find ways to employ my own policies to smoothen things out.

2020 will be remembered as a turbulent year. Beneath that, it is also an important year for me. 2020 is the year I will graduate high school, vote in my first U.S. presidential election and learn how to drive. It is important to enjoy the peaks when they come. When reflecting, I don’t have to let the coronavirus dominate my memory of this year.

It seems that I will have a lot more time in my room. Therefore, I have to try and focus on the now and find the things that will entertain me. Longing for school is natural but soon will be a wish I know won’t come true.

As I watch the seasons change, and feel Grade 12 slip away, I will certainly experience more troughs of frustration. Yet, if I leave expectations behind, I may find a few peaks of inspiration. All that goes down can come up.

The Standard: Coronavirus Special

Self-isolation promotes appreciation Helen Roth Features Editor: Online

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round three and a half weeks ago, I was sitting at the dinner table with my parents, doing what I have become best at this year: ranting.

I was beyond stressed. I had a chemistry test the next day, which I didn’t feel at all prepared for, and an AP U.S. History cumulative the day after that, not to mention the mounds of ACT homework that were due later that night for my tutor.

I vividly remember saying that I was sick of school.

I was done with the 6:45 a.m. wakeups, relentless amounts of work, staying up past midnight almost every night and the overwhelming pressure of the notorious junior year. I was becoming, in my mom’s words, a “little stress ball.”

Writing this, it’s around noon. I slept in until 9 a.m. this morning, made myself a hearty breakfast of eggs and toast, did

some exercises and had more than enough time to get things done. I also treated myself to watching more TV than usual, something absent from a normal school day. This has been my exact routine for the past week.

If someone told me three weeks ago what my current routine would look like, I’d be thrilled. Yet, now that I’m here, having all this time isn’t exactly comforting.

My email is now flooded with Zoom schedules, updates on exams and the latest cancellations of events. I’ve gotten used to only being able to see my friends through a screen, only going outside for a rushed grocery store run, and then promptly singing Happy Birthday twice in my head while washing my hands.

Now, I’d do anything to go back to the way things were a month ago. When I received the email March 14 announcing that school would be canceled until at least April 17, I didn’t realize how much I would miss school just a few weeks in.

I miss uncontrollably laughing during Chinese class, leaving my APUSH classroom a little happier than before (thank you, Ms. Mason), sprinting to the cafeteria to grab a bagel before sitting through an 80-minute class, waving to my peers and teachers in the hallway – the list is infinite.

Caught in the chaos of junior year, I never realized how important these little things were for me. But, being deprived of these things makes me frustrated that I didn’t appreciate them sooner. That being said, I didn’t know that walking out of school March 12 would be my last time.

However, that just proves how I have taken things for granted.

Using Zoom instead of physically being in class makes me recognize the incredible student-teacher interactions and relationships the High School establishes. Being at home all day makes me grateful for the High School’s extracurriculars, especially sports, which let me release pent-up energy after school every day.

Only seeing my parents and siblings enables me to acknowledge how grateful I am for the faculty at ASL (not that I’m ungrateful for my family), many of whom have inspired me in terms of academics and building character. Only FaceTiming my friends and peers makes me realize how crucial they are in my high school experience and how supportive we are of one another.

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I never realized how important these little things were for me.

Illustration by Zainab Shafqat Adil

March/April 2020

It’s important to recognize that the High School doesn’t just offer students an outstanding education, but also an outstanding community. Whether someone is a student or faculty member, they contribute to the school in their own way.

ASL is a place filled with support, kindness, traditions and love.

I can see that more than ever now, and despite the struggles and challenges school can bring, I know to never take it for granted.

Opinions 15

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s journalists, we have a responsibility to go where the story is. The coronavirus pandemic has taken hold of the whole world. It would be a mistake to not comment on our current situation.

This special edition is a short history of how this virus has affected not just the global community, but our ASL community specifically. The front cover, designed by Raunak Lally, represents how the coronavirus has had an affect on the ASL Eagles. Part of our role as journalists is to report the truth, and ultimately, us living through this pandemic is the most accurate version of the truth that we can possibly achieve.

All work that went into this special edition was done from home.

Interviews were conducted by video call, and online servers were used to transfer documents and layout pages. Though not in the journalism room, the Standard Staff collaborated to produce this Coronavirus Special Edition.

In these uncertain times, connection is of great value. It is important to hear each other’s stories and reflect on our situation.

The 2019-2020 Standard Editorial Board