Waterford and Preston also started their school years Monday.
Students return under hybrid plan; decision on full in-person classes could be made by Oct.5
Waterford — After months of planning and revising, students — and at least a modicum of normalcy — returned to school on Monday.
Sparsely populated school buses, long lines of parents waiting to pick up and drop off their children and an excited, if somewhat apprehensive, student body marked the first day of class at Waterford High School.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Waterford schools have reopened under a hybrid plan, keeping in line with most districts in the region. School officials believe the plan, which entails schools operating at 50% capacity, is the safest option while also allowing for some level of in-person instruction. It calls for half of the students to attend in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays while the other half are in school on Thursdays
and Fridays. All students will distance learn on Wednesdays so the school can be closed for cleaning.
Students are able to tune in to on-campus learning through audio livestream or Zoom video while accessing homework and other resources online. Students can also opt for full distance learning.
Superintendent Thomas Giard said Monday that the plan is to make a decision about a return to full in-person learning by Oct. 5.
“Having these four or five weeks gives us a trial period to get good at practices, protocols and routines that will become even more necessary if we return to full in-person,” he said.
Before entering school on Monday, students weren’t sure what to expect, all they knew was the experience wouldn’t be the same as years past.
“For one, we’re all wearing masks,” senior Megan Jones said. “It’s going to be a little different because our classes are half their normal size, so that’ll be a bit interesting for group projects.”
Alyssa Briggs, a senior, also commented on having fewer peers in class.
“I think it’s going to be more isolated,” Briggs said. “Isolated, and harder to see the people you want to see.”
Briggs noted that she is thankful to have friends in her Monday and Tuesday group. Still, she expressed a degree of anxiety about what she expects to be an altered year.
“I wasn’t that excited about this year because I knew what was going to happen,” she said.
Daniel Driscoll said he’s happy to be on school grounds for his senior year.
“I’m just glad to be back,” Driscoll said. “I’m not nervous. It’s my senior year, so I’m getting out of here. I think it’s going to be fine, the district has been working on plans all summer.”
Others echoed Driscoll’s point about the effort put in by faculty, staff, administrators and Board of Education officials to prepare for their return.
“The school and its teachers have done a good job,” parent Michelle Booth said. “I know they’re working hard and it’s been a nightmare for them. Some people give them a tough time, but they’re just trying to do the right thing.”
Booth is a parent of two sons – a freshman and a junior. While waiting in the pickup line at the school’s lower entrance, which spanned at least 25 cars before students began exiting the school, Booth said, “We’re just trying to make the best of everything.”
“They wanted to come back and see their friends. I’m a little nervous, but you go to the grocery store, you go to wherever, life has to go on,” Booth said. “I didn’t really want them taking the bus, so now I’m forced to pick them up. Fortunately, I’m able to do that. Actually, my son’s driving, but unfortunately he hasn’t had his license six months, so he comes to school and I bring the other one.”
Booth said she supports the hybrid model long-term.
“To be honest with you, I kind of like this setup. I would like to see it go the whole year just to make sure everyone can stay safe,” Booth said.
Parent John James said it is imperative that all students come back to school soon. He acknowledged lingering questions of another possible outbreak.
“Social distance learning is not the same as experiencing what high school is all about,” James said. “In a perfect world, my wife, myself and my daughter are hoping it goes back in October full bore. College is one thing, but these kids wants to learn and will pay attention to the rules. They’re not going and having fraternity parties and breaking out the keg on the 50-yard line, so I think we’re OK.”
Senior Malya Ashford delivered her assessment of how the first day went after school.
“It was definitely unusual to go outside for mask breaks and to adhere to new safety measures,” she said. “Halfway through the class, some of the teachers will let the kids come outside and take off their masks to get a little fresh air. It’s weird, but it works, because then we at least get a break.”
Ashford expanded on other safety precautions she thought prudent, including stickers in the hallways indicating where to stand and the manner in which students change classes.
“Even numbered classrooms exit first, that way teachers can clean up in those rooms, then the odd numbers go out,” Ashford said. “It’s staggered so nobody’s bumping into each other.”
Following school on Monday, Giard said that “As educators, we got into this profession because of our connection with kids, and not being able to see their facial expressions due to masks is certainly different.”
“In a more practical sense, one area we’re going to take a look at is pickup in the afternoon and drop off in the morning. Bus ridership is way down, which means more people are bringing their children to school. There were a couple of peak times this afternoon and this morning we’ll have to iron out due to sheer volume.”
Principal Andre Hauser reflected on the first day of school while standing outside the upper entrance and sending off students to be taken home on buses.
“Our staff put an awful lot of time and effort in planning this out and making sure it will work for kids and teachers, and it went very well,” Hauser said. “There were some firstday jitters to work through, but it went as well as I could’ve hoped and better than I expected.”