The Salem-Keizer School District has been working hard to make plans for the return to in-person schooling. All elementary school students returned to classrooms for hybrid learning during the week of March 29. All other students will be returning to school by April 19.
For high schoolers, school will start at 9:35 a.m. and end at 2:35 p.m., with at least some students in the building Tuesday through Thursday. This will make each class period only an hour long, shortening classes. Students will attend in-person learning on their assigned cohort days and have asynchronous assignments on the other days. However exciting it may be to experience the new South building, returning to in-person learning poses a few risks.
Information was published in a letter from Governor Kate Brown at the beginning of March addressing the plans for students in the upcoming months.
“As conditions across the state merit a return to in-person instruction, I could not be more relieved that we have reached a point in this pandemic when Oregon’s children can finally relinquish some of the immense burdens they have so bravely borne over this past year. I feel so much hope for Oregon’s kids, their parents and their schools, as we continue to navigate this pandemic,” Brown said.
While some cannot wait to get back to the building, others have some concerns. Even though the schools are enforcing safety measures to keep students healthy, some students are still worried. Whether they live with high risk family members, or just want to limit chances of exposure. Others just do not think it is worth it to return to the building this late in the school year.
“I don’t want to go back, especially since I’m a senior. There’s no point in me going back it seems since I have all my credits already. I’d feel safer [going back] if everyone was vaccinated,” Syndey Wolfe ‘21 said.
After a year of comprehensive distance learning, some students could not be more excited to be able to have in person learning again. The transition from in-person learning to comprehensive distance learning was not easy or fun for a lot of students.
“I’m excited to learn with other people. I’m a social learner and I feel I work best with others. Online school felt isolating which affected my outlook on school in general,” Sophie Craft ‘21 said.
As of right now, most students are not vaccinated, as vaccines have only been approved for people 16+. Even with those approvals, some groups will not be eligible to receive the vaccine until mid-April. Even then, with three weeks between doses, very few students will be fully vaccinated even by the end of the school year.
