Face-to-face learning begins 6 months after it ended
September 3, 2020
It’s been six months since the school has been filled with students bustling around but that all changed on Thursday morning when the bell for 1st period chimed at 9:00 a.m.
Aside from practices, classes like Cheerleading and Red Rhythm await updates on this year’s football season and pep rally schedule.
As protocols are put into place, access to public water fountains is no longer available.
After being completely virtual the first three weeks of school, Friday brought an end to the first week of face-to-face instruction in Frisco ISD for approximately 900 students on campus. However, some students are taking a crack at hybrid learning, meaning they will take classes with a mixture of both virtual and F2F components.
Many safety features were added to classrooms, such as plastic panels to separate students.
Spring break marks the conclusion of the third nine-week grading period. Bad weather days and SAT made the block schedule a bit more complicated.
Students returning to in person classes will be asked to self screen for COVID-19 Symptoms. “I think it’s important for students to screen for COVID-19 symptoms because sometimes you may not know whether or not you have it and it’s a pretty big risk to take,” freshman Isabelle Engles said. “It’s very contagious so it’s best to check ahead of time so you don’t get other kids sick.”
“The benefits are being in a good learning environment and going back to reality. The disadvantages are probably the way we have to go back- with all the safety precautions and stuff.”
It’s been six months since the school has been filled with students bustling around but that all changed on Thursday morning when the bell for 1st period chimed at 9:00 a.m.
“I am looking forward to seeing my friends when I go back to school because I have not been able to see many of them due to the pandemic,” sophomore Rachel Kim said. “Also, I am excited to be going back into a classroom, because I found staring at a computer screen for most of the day is challenging and tiresome.”
However, not everybody is quite sure that having students back on campus is the best idea.
“I’ve been extremely cautious during this pandemic, and I’d always rather be safe than sorry,” science teacher Joann Leung said. “Personally, I don’t think it’s a great idea for students to be coming back to school. The number of cases is much higher than they were in the spring and gathering in the same building all day, every day doesn’t seem like the best idea. However, I do understand the desire to come back to school, to socialize and learn. It’s a hard battle and everyone will have different opinions about it.”
Although there may be risks, students such as junior Salika Meghani say there are also benefits to being back at school.
“The benefits are being in a good learning environment and going back to reality,” Meghani said. “The disadvantages are probably the way we have to go back- with all the safety precautions and stuff.”
Teachers such as Leung are taking extra care in their own classes for more protection.
“I’m ensuring that all desks are at least six feet away from each other. Before students come in, desks, chairs, and door handles will be sanitized,” Leung said. “While the district is allowing mask breaks, I am personally not planning on having that in my classroom. I don’t think that everyone taking off their masks will be a good idea.”
But for students such as Meghani, it’s time to be back at school.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again and being in classrooms,” Meghani said. “I think I learn better in the classroom.”
