Returning to school for hybrid learning looked a bit different than previous years. Students were no less excited, but found some of the new safety protocols to be challenging. 

“The first few days back were weird because I was adjusting to a new school, and they started with one way halls which made it impossible to navigate the school,” said Ryan King, freshman. “It was kind of weird with it being my first time at South.”

Students are mandated to wear masks at all times during the school day. “I don’t personally find it too bothersome to wear a mask the whole day and actually forget about it after a while,” King said.  “Being able to take it off at lunch is a nice break from it,” he added.

As students go back to school for hybrid learning, it seems like most are in support of the decision. “School is better this year than last [year] online because it is much more organized,” King said. “Teachers have had time to figure out ways to get work assigned and collected,” he explained.

Marley Jackson, senior, has mixed opinions about going back to school. “It was nice seeing people’s faces again and getting into a routine,”she said. 

Jackson said she really enjoys her art classes because she’s in a different environment and feels more productive. However, something she doesn’t enjoy too much is the lunch setup this year at school.

 “I eat lunch in my car with friends,” Jackson said. “I did not want to eat in the cafeteria since it looks so gloomy and the dividers aren’t even clear.”

Assistant Principal, Kiev Lamarr, explained that lunch follows protocols placed by the CDC. “They gave each school district parameters to meet according to how each cafeteria was set up,” said Lamarr. “Students need to maintain a 6 foot distance between each other while eating lunch.”

Elle Rollyson, junior, feels like lunch does not work this year. “My lunch period is overflowing and chaotic,” said Rollyson.  “They have people in the gym and band room and there’s no time to wait in line then eat.”

Rollyson also feels like the safety precautions put in place aren’t consistent. “It seems like social distancing enforced in the lunch line, but not in the hallways,” said Rollyson. 

Lamarr said after seeing how many students came back to school they felt it was feasible to move to a “street model”, where students should stay to the right, rather than one way hallways. “One way hallways were not very effective because we have a lot of dead end hallways here at South,” said Lamarr. 

Besides social distancing, students like Reagan Wernet, senior, are making a conscious effort to disinfect. “I wipe my desk off in every class and use hand sanitizer often,” said Wernet. “I don’t worry too much about getting coronavirus, but more about spreading it to others because it will make it worse and those people could have serious symptoms.”

Matthew Bame, senior, said it’s nice to get that feeling of normal back. “I think it’s a perfect time to go back to school. I think that our school and the staff are willing to do whatever it takes to get us back in the classroom and do it safely,” Bame said. 

Bame believes that students will be back in school fully by the end of the year. “Other school districts around us, like Big Walnut and New Albany, are already going back 100 percent,” said Bame. “I believe if they can do it, then we can do it as well.”