Virtual students now allowed to come in-person for fine arts classes
Gone are the days of Zoom and virtual performances as orchestra is holding its fall concert Tuesday evening, beginning at 7 pm. The concert is the first live performance for orchestra in 18 months and comes with no COVID-19 restrictions in place.
March 5, 2021
School days have been looking a little different for some virtual students as they are allowed to come in-person for fine arts classes during the second semester.
“The district has allowed virtual students to come up to school for their fine arts classes because our adjudications/contests are in the spring,” assistant director of orchestras Victoria Lien said via email. “This allows for the possibility of more viable performing groups.”
Some students have made the decision to come up to school for their fine arts classes to better prepare for events such as UIL.
“I am coming to school for drill team class and I was promoted to start coming to class to get ready for our competition season,” senior India Cunningham said via text. “I prefer to go in person just because I have less space in my house to dance and no longer interrupt my parents while working or when moving furniture around.”
Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from school.
“Normally my first period class gets off at 10:25 so I get my parents to drive me to school at 10:30 to be sure I’m in time for choir,” sophomore Jiya Surywanshi said via text. “I normally reach class when announcements are going on. The process of going back is much easier since I have a half hour gap from the end of 2nd period to the start of 3rd period.”
With more students physically present in class, fine arts programs now have the opportunity to do work in larger groups.
“Having students come up is beneficial for the students not only in the emotional/social area, especially the students who have been virtual this whole time,” Lien said.
Sophomore Isabel Wang believes there are many benefits to coming in person for fine arts classes.
“As an online student, we would play our own parts by ourselves with our microphones off while listening to the in person students play,” Wang said via text. “But since I’m attending orchestra in person now, I get to hear my playing with others more clearly which is extremely helpful. Also, just in general, I feel more of a connection to my orchestra class and my teachers.”
