How Do NEST+m Students & Teachers Feel About Back to School?

Below are quotes from 15 NEST+m students and teachers. We asked them to tell us how they feel about the upcoming school year and/or their opinions on reopening. Note: these are the feelings and opinions of individual students and teachers, and they might not represent the views of everyone at The Eagle or NEST+m.

1-“I think that we shouldn’t be allowed to go back to school because if adults can’t be trusted to hang out with each other, wear a mask, and stay 6 feet apart from each other, then likely teenagers and children won’t be able to do the same. I would love to go back, but I just feel like it’s too risky for the sake of my health and my family when I go home.” -- Kaitlyn Huang ‘23

2-“As of now, I am in favor of 100% remote learning because I believe it protects teachers, and prevents other people using public transit from being exposed to COVID while students are commuting. I hope that I will be able to get to know my new teachers because it's not always easy to connect with people via zoom. The main thing I hope to get out of remote learning is a good routine. I know a lot of my friends struggled with getting homework done because they were not organized. But, I am still optimistic that I can have a good school year online.” --  Daisy Polowetzky ‘23

3-“I’m confused about what’s going to happen next year, and I’m bummed that my senior year won’t be a normal one. However, the safety and health of the community comes first. I just hope that it will be more organized than last year’s remote learning because it was really difficult to learn under those circumstances. Back in the Spring, some of my classes overlapped, so I ended up missing classes and falling behind. Also, my peers and I were overwhelmed with work to a point where we would be up late working, got an insufficient amount of sleep and then repeated the process the next day. To me, it doesn’t seem like a wise decision to come back in-person. Kids at school might become infected and spread it to their parents and then to grandparents.  So we really need an online system that promotes learning and also prioritizes students’ time and mental health.” -- Anonymous ‘21

4-“I think many people are excited for social interaction if school opens up, but because of social distancing and mask-wearing, I think social interaction will be extremely limited if schools return in-person (no sitting in the cafeteria, students line up outside of classrooms, no gym period). I think our best option is to incorporate a social aspect, remotely. I also feel that being remote allows us to emulate a routine similar to one that we would have in-person and that a mix of in-person and remote classes creates a new complexity that students will have to struggle with. I also think that we can’t treat all age groups the same. Elementary schoolers need human interaction to learn basic things like reading and motor skills. Also, they can’t be left alone at home when parents go to work. High schoolers, in contrast, can take care of themselves and learn in a less hands-on manner. Of course none of this is ideal, but with adequate support from teachers and guidance counselors, it’s more manageable for us.” -- Emma Pearlman ‘21

5-“Even though I love going back to school, seeing my friends, and starting off with a clean slate, I don’t think I’m ever fully ready for the summer to end. This year I’m especially not ready partly because I’ll be a junior and also because I have no idea what to expect. I have confidence that I’ll still be able to get support from the school faculty and participate in clubs, but I know it’ll look a lot different.” -- Esther Bistricer ‘22

6-“It’s hard not knowing if I’m going to finish high school with a full experience, but I’m glad safety is being taken into account.” -- Mariwa Gambo ’22

7-“I’m super anxious about the fall, especially going into junior year. There’s so much added pressure to build this ‘perfect’ resume for colleges to see while also preparing for the SATs. We’re in the second week of August, and there’s still so much uncertainty about the upcoming year. It’s definitely unsettling to think about adjusting to the workload, meeting new teachers and the rest of the changes brought by the new normal, but it’s for the best. I think we all crave a sense of normalcy--and that’s just not possible in the state that we’re in now--but we have to make sacrifices to make sure that it will be in the future.” -- Clara Medina ‘22

8-“I know the allure of in-person learning is strong--it is familiar, comfortable, and easy to envision. But we have to remember that “in-person” learning would not be a return to normal. Students would not be allowed to congregate and socialize, stay before and after school, and engage in casual group work and discussion. Instead, we would be existing within a shell of our former community, going through all of the motions of the regular school day without any of the heart and soul that make NEST+m so special. Do not mistake me: I do not enjoy being in front of a screen all day. Last Spring was extremely challenging for me as an educator … But the work it will take to convert my classroom to an online setting is far less than the work it would take for students to feel comfortable walking into the classroom every day fearing for their lives.” -- Ms. Gordon

9-"Right now, I do think 100% remote would be the most favorable option. Despite New York's numbers being relatively low at the moment, there is still a huge risk. By students coming in from all over the city, it is hard to keep the germs specifically isolated and prevent the spread. What if students who want to do blended learning return to a home with a high-risk family member? If the school does execute their blended learning plan, I'm sure there will be strict protocols in place. However, how can we count on all students to be responsible? … The one thing that makes me slightly hesitant about 100% remote learning is that I think for specific classes, I really need the teacher-student interaction as well as the focused and structured environment. With potential AP classes and other classes being harder in general, it may be hard for me to really retain information and actually learn if all of the lesson is reading articles and taking notes. I really admired [Ms. Gordon’s] remote learning lessons because [she] suggested deadlines and models, and just made everything accessible/easy to comprehend and follow. I know all teachers are trying their best and trying to adapt to all the circumstances. Thus, in regards to the safety of everyone, 100% remote learning is probably the best option." -- Gabi Tien ‘23

10-“As a teacher, I believe that students need to feel safe in order to learn -- and that one of my primary responsibilities is to set up and hold a space where their personal safety is not at risk. If you’re feeling threatened, it makes sense that you can’t learn and retain information as well and will have a hard time focusing on lessons and learning activities. If we return to schools physically, keeping students feeling safe enough to learn will be a nearly impossible challenge in the face of COVID - 19....I also understand that the remote learning experience for students and families must be improved from this Spring. I believe that it will be more beneficial to our community to focus our school’s efforts on improving remote learning -- whether it’s ensuring that students have the technology, devices, and access they need, or creating a school schedule and small advisory groups for organizational and interpersonal support -- instead of trying to physically re-open and minimize infections we won’t be able to control.” -- Ms. Lei

11- “I can't speak for everyone, but I think the general vibe of students is that they would want 100% remote, but there are a few people I know who have chosen to go back to school because they believe that they learn best in-person. For me personally, I really haven't made a decision because my parents and I are still in discussion. For the most part, I'm in A LOT of fear knowing that research has projected that Coronavirus cases will be going up in the Fall. I worry not only for myself but for my parents who have to go back to work, for my brother who has to go back to school and my friends who will most likely have to take the train to commute to school. There's also another thing I'm worried about, and that is extracurriculars and aspects of the college process. For extracurricular activities, I wanted to perhaps get into tutoring for the National Honor Society, but it seems unlikely that it will happen this year. I feel as if this pandemic didn't happen, then I would be feeling at ease, a little bit more, because I would have that face to face meeting with Ms. Alba/other counselors/teachers. For my essays, I know that I will be needing quite a bit of help because I'm a first-generation student and will be the first from my family to go to college. It would have been much easier if we didn't have this pandemic and everything would be normal so I could perhaps meet with teachers face-to-face. Another thing worries me and that is the SAT and ACT... I know [some] colleges have canceled early action/early decision so we have more time to take it, but I personally have very little resources to study from. I only have my books and the internet but I get distracted very easily.” -- Anonymous ‘21

12-“To be honest, I’m worried for next school year. I am happy to be seeing my friends in real life again but I am worried about the safety of us as a student body and whether or not students will follow guidelines like wearing a mask.” -- Anonymous ‘22

13-“Restarting school might not be the best idea given the current circumstances, but it’s something that we as a society have to overcome, and we have to figure out solutions. By attending “virtual school,” I feel that the variability in resources  might create a divide in the quality of learning for students from different socioeconomic levels.” -- Tenzing Kalsang ‘21

14-“Personally, I’m choosing blended learning because being cut off from human interaction really messed with my emotional health. I think high schoolers are mature enough to keep a mask on (while middle schoolers may not be, and elementary school children definitely aren’t). So if NEST does open up more, we should be prioritized.” -- Minla Stokes ‘21

15-“Even though this upcoming school year will be different and feels like we are heading into an unknown territory, there is still something exciting about starting school this Fall. Being able to reconnect with the community at NEST+m, with close friends and staff, is something that I miss. However, I believe that this experience will strengthen our community further. I cannot wait for the memories that senior year of high school will bring, even if that consists of obstacles.” -- Jessical Li ‘21