www.wesleyanschool.org
5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners,
Green & Gold
Volume XXV, Issue I NEWS
A Publication of Wesleyan School
Student Government members finalize homecoming plans. Pg.1
GET EDITORIAL OUT TO VOTE!
Editor-in-Chief Anna Grace Bowling encourages students to relish their days at Wesleyan. Pg. 2
FEATURES
The G&G explores the use of masks and their popularity. Pg. 8
November 3, 2020 SPORTS
Fall sports come to a close. Pg. 6
Student Government Finalizes Homecoming Carson Schiller
said, “The likelihood of getting alumni back As COVID-19 and its precautions continue to onto our campus is very low because we don’t physically divide Wesleyan as a school whether want to bring any exposure back onto camthat be through the hybrid model or all on campus for an event.” Regarding parents, there pus, Student Government is working hard during may be fewer numbers to limit the amount of flex time and lunch periods to find ways to have people on campus while also being able to ina homecoming so student can be together to celclude middle school and lower school as well. ebrate this annual tradition. Student Activities Student Government has been working Coordinator Brian Krehmeyer said, “We are hard to develop ideas that will bring the working hard to plan a homecoming model for school together, and they have finalized their the fall based on what school life looks like right plan. Krehmeyer said, “Homecoming will be now, but it is impossible to predict what school the week of Nov. 2-Nov. 6 where on Friday, life will look like in late October/early NovemNov. 6 there will be a home football game ber.” Assuming that the school continues the vs. Providence Christian Academy.” Due to invitation of all student back on campus will be a mental health day on Friday, Nov. 6, there the determining factor in how homecoming will will still be no school that day. In order to play out. A change in the number of students on hang onto the most important things about campus will result in a change for the homecomhomecoming week, Student Government has ing plan because an increase in capacity can lead decided to host the pageant and pep-rally. to more cases and more students in quarantine. Krehmeyer said, “[The pep-rally] is the cheerKrehmeyer emphasized the fact that as a com- President of Student Government Sam Schmitt and Student Acmunity Wesleyan will have a homecoming event, tivities Coordinator Brian Krehmeyer discuss the plan for home- leading squad’s and marching band’s opportuSchiller nity to showcase in front of the student body, but there will be no dance. After all, homecoming is coming. ni, parents, and community as well as the student on and [it’s a way to] honor our fall sports as well.” not just about the dance. It involves alumni returnKrehmeyer and Student Government President Sam ing, parents, students, pep-rallies, a pageant, football campus, but this year our focus has to be more on the games, the Hoedown, and spirit week. Krehmeyer said, students here on campus.” Since many college campus- Schmitt along with the rest of Student Government “Usually Homecoming is a celebration for the alum- es are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, Krehmeyer are optimistically keeping their (con’t on page 3)
Wesleyan School Adjusts to a New Normal Rosie Taylor
As Wesleyan School administration got ready for a new school year under the unique circumstances of COVID-19, many variables had to go into the process of creating a new schedule such as summer planning, new technology, and changes in how Sage Dining lunch works. In March of last year’s spring semester, it became apparent to the school that this year’s school year might look a lot different than ever before. Over the course of the summer, starting as early as May, principals, deans, chief operating officer, grade chairs and department chairs started to discuss different plans for each issue. The school came up with three different learning plans. Assistant Dean of Student Life Josh Smith said, “By about mid-summer, we knew the models for different options of learning. We just did not know which model we would employ until it got closer to the start of school.” The number of COVID-19 cases changed weekly, so the administration had to wait until up to two weeks before the start of the school year to make the decision. When making the decision, the school knew that they wanted to make the safest choice but also the choice that provided the best learning environment possible under the circumstances. Smith said, “We always knew that we wanted to have as much face-to-face time as we could even if we had to go virtual. We wanted to find a good balance. It was clear to us that the hybrid model would be the most difficult, but it was most
important to us to get students on campus as much as we could.” The staff including Smith, Wesleyan High School Principal Joseph Koch and Dean of Student Life Mary Stephenson had meetings weekly to assess the situation. The summer planning for this school year took long months instead of just a couple weeks. Although the summer planning was extensive, administration believes that it was worth it. Smith said, “I think our hard work and long planning have paid off because we are still in school so far. Taking all of the COVID-19 safety precautions has ensured us that we can stay in school and hopefully add more students as the weeks go on. The success so far has given the school hope, and we are one step closer to all being back in school together on campus.” During the summer planning, another topic that had to be discussed was technology. With the hybrid model, the school knew that new technology was going to have to be purchased in order for school to function to its highest potential during virtual and in-person learning. For in-person learning, the technology crew researched and bought thermal cameras, Plexi glass shields, mobile i-pads with battery packs, updated wi-fi, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom to help better ensure the safety of students and faculty. Thermal cameras check the temperature of each person who walks through an entry door. If the temperature
is over 100.4, then the person is flagged and sent to the nurse. Chief Operating Officer Brian Morgan said, “The thermal cameras ensure that faculty, staff and students are safe by not only checking the temperature of each person who walks through a door, but also it checks for any weapons or guns that may be on someone. One of the main reasons the school decided on the (con’t on page 3)
Junior students Lily Morris and John Perrins sit socially distance in class.
Taylor