March marks two years since shutdowns

From the transition to virtual learning, to coming back in person, case counts, quarantine, changing mask mandates and changes to curriculum, the pandemic has had many academic side effects.
Thinking back on the two year anniversary of school closing due to the pandemic, learning disabilities teacher Laura Champe Mitchell expressed her amazement.
From the transition to virtual learning, to coming back in person, case counts, quarantine, changing mask mandates and changes to curriculum, the pandemic has had many academic side effects.
“It’s like, has it been two years, four years or 10 years?” Champe Mitchell said. “It’s just surreal. Like, did that really happen to us?”
The new challenge, Champe Mitchell said, is overcoming the masking obstackle and overcompensating the missed socializing.
School structure has changed since March 2020, with the new fourth period schedule introducing Advisory and Return Periods, which Champe Mitchell voiced her approval towards.
Fourth period “has helped me as a teacher, especially because I’m out in the trailer, so I have some kids that I wouldn’t see otherwise,” she said.
Senior Abby Brunner said she wishes the old daily Learn schedule would return.
“I do often miss the everyday Learn, because I valued the time to work on homework and collaborate with my peers and teachers,” Brunner said.
For some teachers, much of the past school year was focused on reviewing what was missed during virtual learning, and making sure their students get as much out of the in-person experience as possible.
“Many students had trouble learning virtually, and there are many learning gaps out there, so academically we’ve had to focus on what those gaps are, and slowing down teaching,” math teacher Alan Altschuler said.
Brunner said daily class structure has also changed over the last two years .
“I would definitely say that in March of 2020, classes were very structured around PowerPoint activities and lectures,” she said. “Now, many classes focus on class discussions, group projects and collaboration and less so [on] lectures and presentations”