For the first time in over a year and a half, all students have returned fully to in-person school. Even though all HC students are back in the building, students are still having to alter the way they learn to safely return to school. Everyone has had to adapt, including teachers.

 HC Spanish teacher Amanda Drake has had to change how she plans her lessons. “I have had to learn to be flexible every day and be more aware of students’ lives,” Drake said.

Even though this school year has begun similarly to those years before Covid, students still have to adapt daily to learn in a pandemic. 

“I was used to turning everything in on paper,” HC sophomore Avery Gabbard said, “and now that Covid happened we are turning things indifferently.” 

Not only have students had to change the way they submit assignments, but because of social distancing, group work is now limited. Students like HC sophomore Maggie Zent still prefer more hands-on work, compared to now, where most work is done on the computer.

 “I am so much more used to doing group projects and hands-on stuff,” Zent said.

Teachers have also had to adapt. 

“You’ve got to be aware of people’s needs and just work with where we are,” Drake explained. 

Not only have teachers had to adjust the way they teach for students, but also for themselves. 

“The past 18 months have been kind of crazy,” Drake explained, “and I am still trying to get over that little bit of anxiety that we all have.” 

HC English teacher Brett Johnson explained that this past year has been difficult, but has made him a better teacher. He used technology to help better his classroom.

 “I am getting more done, because I have learned a lot about how technology can make me more efficient.” 

Both students and teachers have had separate struggles, but they can both agree that grades this year have improved significantly compared to last year.

 “I think [grades] have improved this year now that kids are in the building,” Johnson explained.

Drake agrees with Johnson.

“Grades have been better so far this year than they were last year.” 

Not only have teachers noticed a difference, but both Zent, and Gabbard notice a positive change in their grades compared to last year. Even though grades are heading in a positive direction, Johnson says that the same cannot be said for behavior. 

“Kids out in the hallways are trashing the bathrooms and ruining the facility to which they come to get an education. It’s disheartening, hard to manage, and depressing,” Johnson said.

Drake, however, thought that phones have been the biggest distraction for her students so far this year.

 “The biggest thing this year is reminding people to stay off their phones and reminding students that they don’t need their screens,” Drake said.

While this year has started off with unique challenges, Drake is optimistic that as the year continues, things will continue to slowly go back to normal. She explained how she hopes that at some point this school year masks can go away and she can return to doing activities she did prior to Covid. 

“I am hopeful that we will embrace the different lessons that we have learned over the past 18 months and that as the school year moves forward we continue to grow.”