“I decided to go back to in-person school because of the exciting feeling I had just from walking into the building for the first time in a year,” said senior Immaculate Wanjiku.
In March, CHCCS added an option for students to return to in-person classes after seven months of remote learning.
According to a survey put out by the school in March, 46 percent of students at East returned to the school building for in-person classes. However, because students who didn’t fill out the form were counted as returnees out of caution, and some students later changed their minds, the actual actual number is likely lower.
The survey indicated that underclassmen were more likely to return to school than upperclassmen: 147 freshmen said they would be returning to the building as opposed to just 110 seniors.
According to most, the big draw for going back to in-person school is the ability to have face-to-face interactions. Wanjiku said she wanted to return to campus because she missed learning alongside her peers.
“It has been an amazing experience,” Wanjiku said. “Coming back reminded me how much I love to socialize with people. Since this is the end of my high school career, I want to end it the best way I can while building connections with new people and strengthening the bonds with old friends.”
Though at first unnerved by the return to school buildings, history teacher Sam Atwood agreed that the social aspects of seeing both staff and students make in-person school worth the effort.
“I think it’s been better than I expected,” Atwood said. “I was a little bit apprehensive, but I much prefer this to fully remote, honestly, because I actually get to see people face to face, both students and co-workers, which is a big deal.”
Senior Ann Alexander said she appreciates both the social and educational benefits of returning to in-person class.
“It’s honestly been really fun. It allows me to see my friends at lunch, but it also allows me to engage my teachers in class,” Alexander said. “Also, for me, I just learn better and I work better in a school environment.”
Students and teachers returned to their physical classrooms (or to the Cafe Commons) to find it similar to remote learning. For Atwood, the transition was easy because lecturing and Google Classroom activities do not change very much online versus in-person.
“Logistically it’s not been that hard,” Atwood said. “It’s kind of weird talking to the computer screen with [students] still in the room, but technologically-wise and logistics-wise, it really hasn’t forced me to change anything I’m doing.”
However, not all students and staff share the same positive view of the return structure. Before switching back to virtual learning, senior Paul Johnson attended in-person classes a few times, which he described as a let down because of low in-person attendance.
“It was the same as online, just in person,” Johnson said. “I just sat there on my computer.”
Due to the number of teachers who have teleworking accommodations, in-person students often have to sit in the Cafe Commons or the Slant Room instead of their classroom. Social studies teacher Delaney Titus has not been able to teach in-person because of the recent birth of her daughter, and she describes the cafeteria environment as the biggest challenge for returning students.
“I just think about how different it would be if we could be in my classroom because my trailer, my learning cottage, is like my oasis,” Titus said. “I have [decorative] lights and the walls are just covered in posters; it’s just a much more relaxed and calming environment.”
While the return is still different from a regular school year for students, it has provided some closure for students, especially seniors, who lost part of their normal high school experience. Wanjiku reflected on her decision to go back as “the best decision” she has made during the pandemic.
“Every time I go to school I am making memories to cherish and savor,” Wanjiku said. “One good memory would be meeting some of my teachers and new staff members for the first time in person and reconnecting with old teachers and talking about life, our future plans, and, most importantly, how we truly have been during this pandemic.”
