Following Cohort A’s returning to school doors, students in Cohort B are setting foot on campus today.

“I felt excited in a way and nervous,” freshman Bradley Hutchings said. “Only because I haven’t been to school in forever. I was also nervous of catching the virus and spreading it to my family, but I know how to take care of myself and I know the guidelines so I ended up going to school.”

Just as students in Cohort A returned to in-person schooling at the start of the week, students in Cohort B will be in-person for half their classes today and tomorrow.

“I am ecstatic to welcome students back to the classroom,” teacher Henry Castillo said. “I entered this career to help and see humans, so it’s great that we are inching back toward a face-to-face model. I am able to provide students who elect to return with crucial one-on-one assistance.”

Many students still have mixed emotions about returning to school. Some are fearful, while others are eager to return. Some have been able to observe their peers who returned for Cohort A on Monday and Tuesday.

“Going back to school I felt really stressed and worried but it turned out to be okay,” freshman Braeden Jaeger said. “I chose to go back to school because I felt like I needed to get out of the house and try to have a ‘normal’ highschool experience safely. Being in school was honestly pretty normal, it was just shorter and with less people.”

There still are other students in different grade levels that have yet to return until after Spring Break. Many of them are also unsure about how they will adapt to the changes surrounding waking up, arriving at school, etc.

“Well since I haven’t gone back I can’t say much yet, but I suppose I’m a little excited to talk with my teachers not virtually,” sophomore Anika Aller said. “On the other hand, I’ll have to wake up earlier and be monitored by my teachers constantly, since there will be a few students each class which may make it awkward.”

Staff are hoping that using this hybrid schedule, the school can adapt to the pandemic and effectively teach students virtually and physically.

“I am in my fourth year in secondary education and I’m fortunate that I can use those few years to help me during this pandemic,” Castillo said. “In many ways this year has presented several challenges to educators around the country and world; I’ve drawn upon my nascent experience to help guide me through the many changes that the 2021 school year has brought us.”