The date is March 13th, 2020, you’re sitting on your bed scrolling on your phone when you get a notification. “President Trump has declared this virus to be a national emergency.” What does that mean for you? Schools are shutting down, restaurants are closing for dining in, you can only leave your house for groceries and work, masks are required, etc. 

“I would say that hit me around September/October when my trusted news sources kept reporting that this winter would be difficult and that they expected for numbers to rise again. That’s when I started to wonder if it would be gone by this summer (2021),” Art and Photography teacher Laura Leyes-Woods said. 

These couple of months have taken a toll on the students and staff here at HHS. Some students and staff picked up some new hobbies, some stayed home the whole time, some got jobs. The one common thing all around is everyone has changed in some way or another. 

“I turned 16 and didn’t get my sweet 16 party like planned. I got a job. I was definitely affected mentally. I was very sad that I couldn’t do much. My house also fell down partly. It wasn’t a good time,” Junior Lydia Lavine said. She also went on to say how school is much harder due to social distancing, making things much more stressful. 

Our 2020-2021 school year started right in the middle of this pandemic, but due to us still being in quarantine at the beginning of the school year. We had to opt for virtual school. Meaning every student would be online in zoom calls and doing work simultaneously. While teachers taught us through the screen. 

“I don’t know why but going into the Zoom meetings felt weird for me. I think the only reason I dislike it is because of my surroundings when I’m in the Zoom meetings. For example, I have 2 nieces and one nephew who are always running around constantly and distracting me and there’s always some type of noise or distractions,” Freshmen Paul Pierce stated. 

The new circumstances have not only affected the students but also the teachers. Many teachers and staff have had to change the way they do their job. Since many of the past rules do not fit the criteria for COVID-19 restrictions. 

“This has been the most challenging time in my professional career. We (the staff) are constantly trying to find ways to adapt to the changes. It feels like we check one item off the to-do list but then add 5 more items,” Vice Principal Joseph Veldhuizen said. “However, now that we have students back in the building, things feel a little more normal. I still worry 24/7 about our students. Some have completely disengaged and I just want each and every student to maximize their potential.”

The staff here at HHS have been working extremely hard to adapt lesson plans and activities to ensure we get our high school experience, our education, and are safe all at the same time. 

“Our classes involve much fewer activities and less group work, because of the social distancing requirements and the dual format. We do more online-style work to accommodate the new situation…. I’ve had to change my expectations, my pace. We all have to understand and be responsive to the challenges our students are facing at this time, in many different areas of their lives. That changes what material we can cover and how fast,” Science Teacher Mara Bromberg said.