Students Give Mixed Opinions on In-Person Learning

For most of 2020 and some of 2021, the Greendale school district has switched between multiple student schedules to combat the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic. Now, GHS is making the switch to its boldest plan yet: most students in-person, 4 days a week. But are the students of GHS on board with this new plan?

According to the email sent out by the Superintendent to parents, 77.6 percent of students are returning to in-person full time, all of whom will be in the building simultaneously.

With so many students coming back to the high school building, some are concerned about safety from COVID. “I am really disappointed with the choice to go back since there are no vaccines for teachers and students yet, and the students and teachers can spread the virus,” sophomore Sarah Hulett said. “I know parents want their kids back in school and kids want to see their friends, but this could hurt people and families more if someone got seriously sick or died. And it would be because they wanted their kids out of the house.”

Freshman Kyle Takerian is skeptical about the permanence of the move to in-person. “I think we should just stay at home because I know we will be heading back home anyway due to cases rising in our school,” he said. “Our school knows that we don’t have enough room for 6 foot distance.”

Other students are more concerned with the mental health issues that virtual learning can exacerbate in some. “I am aware that because we are in a pandemic there is a higher risk of catching an illness, however, our mental health as a whole has declined because of the lack of social interaction,” junior Catherine Celsor said. “Being alone at home everyday without being able to talk face to face with friends and teachers has affected us more than virtual learning has on its own.”

Freshman Samantha Sarenac agrees. “I know staying all virtual is the best for my family and it will give me an exact schedule without interruption like in-person learning might,” she said. “However, this does not mean that this choice is better for my mental health, considering I will not see people for the rest of the semester I have a big fear that when we do go back my social anxiety will be profound.”

Just as students have different opinions on going back, the virtual schooling experience was also different for everyone.

Some seniors, such as Jacob Martin, lament how COVID affected their last year at the high school. “[Going to all virtual] ruined my senior year and made the whole thing a joke. It feels like I didn’t even have a senior year because I just sat at home in front of my computer all day,” he said.

For senior Sam Kittredge, the best schedule is not necessarily his favorite one. “I’d rather be online because it was easier to be lazy, but I’m going to go to school for the sake of my education,” he said. “I liked hybrid because it was only going to school twice a week and at least being able to see people and learn better and once it went to all virtual I didn’t learn anything and my grades dropped.”

GHS students switch to the new schedule on February 1, and many are hoping that the schedule will stay permanent.