GHS News

Gloucester School Board Decides on Physical Reopening Plan

Editor Amber Howle

9/18/2020

On Tuesday, September 8th, the Gloucester School Board approved of a plan that would bring students back to school on a hybrid schedule by mid-November.

The plan outlined by superintendent Walter Clemons and assistant superintendent Chuck Wagner would begin phasing-in on September 21st with the special education programs, the preschoolers in IVP and IPOP programs, and all kindergarteners. The hybrid schedule would bring students back twice a week physically while staying at home the remaining three days.

Phasing-in for grades six and twelfth would begin in mid-October, along with first and second graders. In mid to late October, seventh through eleventh graders would return. Then in early November, grades three through five would return. During the month of November, all students would have the option to return to school on the hybrid schedule. Parents would also have the option to opt out and have their child stay home and continue remote learning.

Board member Randy Burak noted the substantial growth of COVID-19 cases after Labor Day weekend, which is only two weeks from the initial phasing-in date. The school board reiterated that the health of students, staff, and families was a top priority to them, and they would be consulting with health officials throughout the plan. The plan is based around the peaking and falling of Covid-19 cases in Gloucester over the next few months. The board voted 5-1 to bring students back according to the adopted plan.

Many GHS students greeted the planned reopening with enthusiasm. Junior Gaston Trimble said, “If the teachers acclimate well, it would be way more optimized than regular schooling.” Sophomore Cole Belcher stated, “ I feel like it’s a good idea because I learn better in class than online.” Senior Jordan Trueblood agreed, stating that “most people learn better with school. I personally want to go back.” Senior Kyleigh Johnson noted the disparities some students face at home, stating, “I think it’s a good idea to open schools because not every student has a good learning environment.”

Others responded with caution and scepticism. Senior Justin Petrowicz said, “The school reopening is really unnecessary. Online school is working fine for the people that are doing it and reopening school just puts us as students and the teachers in danger and everyone they come in contact with. We will see a spike of cases in Gloucester right after. Some kids are not going to wear their mask no matter how many times they try to enforce it and it isn’t a good idea.” Junior Larkin Denton stated, “Even though I’ve found remote learning to be a challenge, I don’t think schools should rush to open up. There’s a difference between listening and learning, and for many students learning is just not a part of the equation.”

Many students expressed ambivalence towards the issue, stating that, while a return would be nice, it would only work if students were able to observe safe practices and social distancing guidelines. Senior Emma Williams stated, “I really want to go back to school, but I don’t know if it’s a wise move because of irresponsible people in school. I know if it came down to education, I think it’s best to go back because I learn better at school.” “I think it’s a good idea, especially with the drawbacks and uncertainties of online learning,” stated Senior Hailey Brown, “I also believe that precautions need to be taken seriously by students.” Junior Jaidyn Forres’s concerns are with her family. “Like everyone else, I miss school and interacting with people and even school lunch,” she stated, “but honestly safety is a #1 priority for me. I live in a multi-generational household, the youngest is my little brother who is one and the oldest is my great grandmother who is 94. Needless to say I am really not so sure about school reopening.”

Members of the Gloucester community also expressed mixed feelings about the planned reopening. Former Gloucester High School student Andrew Castaneda observed, “ I feel as though everybody is so eager to seize that sense of pre-covid normality that we’re betraying our own basic logic.We’ve seen it happen in Harrisonburg and many other college towns-- reopening at this stage is a bad idea. People will get sick. The threat of death has been proven 197,000+ times in our country alone. Sure, you could call it rare for people our age to suffer severe symptoms from Covid, but for every student there is a family back home and a subject by subject dependent risk. It seems to me that the school board has conveniently forgotten that flu season tears through the school every year at this time. The only way this whole thing will go away is if we step up our game in fighting the pandemic and stop pretending that traumatic illness with the risk of death couldn’t happen to every single one of us. To the Gloucester County School Board, I say this: fulfill your duties. The well-being of the very people you serve is on the line. Defend it by any means.” Jesse Starcher, another former Gloucester High School student, stated, “ I feel as though for Gloucester, at least, since the school is overcrowded, it would be really easy for a lot of kids to get sick fast. I say they either figure out better systems of doing it safely or bin the idea all together.”

Many teachers also had questions about the hybrid schedule and what daily instruction would look like. Some of these questions included: “how will we transport students on a modified schedule?”, “will masks be a requirement in the classroom?” and “when would the instruction take place for virtual students?”

The general opinion on resuming school this year is mixed. Some students want to resume school and some want to stay home. There are still many unanswered questions about procedures and precautions. Either way, students have the option to return to school throughout the next few months on a modified hybrid schedule or stay home on a remote learning schedule.