Students return to hybrid learning environment amidst ongoing COVID pandemic

MJ Martinez

And so it begins– Students walk into the Student Entrance on the first day of school. Students are now split into cohorts and spend alternating times in school.

Hollis Tharpe, Managing Editor
September 21, 2020

High school students and staff began classes on September 2 in a hybrid model where students have been split into cohorts based on their last name. Cohort A consists of students whose last names begin with the letters A-K, and Cohort B has students L-Z. 

On the first day of classes, Cohort A was in person, while cohort B was online; however the next two days, Cohort B was in person while Cohort A was online. Students also had the option to join Cohort C, and take all classes online for the first semester.

Principal Scott Hurwitz is excited to see students and staff back in the building after quarantine,

“Seeing students has been the best part of this school year. Given our extended time apart from one another, the connections we’ve made in person and virtually with students have made the start of this school year special for us,” Hurwitz said.

Classes have moved from the typical nine-period schedule to a new block schedule. Now there are A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J days. A, C, E, G, and I days have periods one through five, while the other days have periods nine through sixth and an additional Connect period. The new schedule will help to mitigate movement in the building alongside other procedures such as one-way hallways, Plexi glasses in the cafeteria for study hall, and monitors bathrooms.

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MJ Martinez
The year ahead-- Students arrive at the Student Entrance on the first day of school with masks and socially distant. New safety procedures have been put in place to help protect students from the spread of COVID-19.

Senior Jacob Smith hopes to be back in school later in the year, 

“I’m most looking forward to enjoying senior year and hopefully eventually coming back to school and playing basketball,” Smith said.

Hurwitz believes that this year will present some challenges, but is optimistic that they will be overcome.

“I hope the FHS community will continue to persevere through the challenges we face. It’s easy to focus on everything that’s different, but I hope we all remember what’s stayed the same too. No matter the situation, the FHS community is composed of great students and teachers who partner together to achieve success,” Hurwitz said.