Got an opinion on three school opening plans? So do students (anyone can vote in our poll)
Like the months before it, this summer is different from any other, down to the questions people are asking. Not, what’s your schedule? Or, who’s your teacher?
But more like, are we going back to school? What plan do you want to follow? Which do you feel will be safest?
As reported, the reopening of schools has come down to three different plans that were outlined by Pelham Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ in a Google Meet with the board of education on July 27.
Loading ...Champ’s first proposal is a full, in-person educational experience with strict sanitation procedures and masks, as well as staggered timing for different groups of students. There’s also an all-virtual plan and a hybrid that mixes both approaches. Actually going back to school seemed to have the slight edge among students interviewed (which may be a little more history being made).
“It’s really hard to look at a screen all day and keep yourself motivated,” said Matthew Michailoff, a freshman at Pelham Memorial High School this fall. “I feel that when I’m learning in person, I am more encouraged to work hard.”
“I’d prefer full in-person learning with masks, but I’m not sure it’s actually the best option,” said Austin Kelly, PMHS junior. He said that while it may be safe, people will most likely not take wearing masks and staying distant seriously.
Sophomore Emma Van Praagh endorsed the hybrid option. “This plan would ensure that there are not too many people in the school at the same time, while still providing the benefits of in-person engagement.”
Soon-to-be kindergartener Caroline Kapplow felt the same, saying that she would prefer to stay socially distant while attending Colonial School.
“I would absolutely prefer all-online,” said Audrey Levenson, a sophomore. “I think that a hybrid system would inevitably lead to technical difficulties and confusion.”
The district said it will decide which plan to follow in “mid-August.”
Kira is a senior at Pelham Memorial High School and in her seventh year of writing for the Pelham Examiner. She loves reading and wrote previously for...
