Teachers guiding students through an uncertain time

This year has been like no other at Lawrence High School. One that has seemed impossible has been proven possible when the school community does its part and works together.

This school year, students were given the decision to follow either the hybrid model (to come to school every other week depending on the cohorts assigned) or fully remote learning. For the students in school, new procedures were implemented throughout the school building.

Before arrival, all students are required to complete a wellness survey. Upon entry, the security guards would check the students’ temperature and if they completed the survey. Arrows on the floors of the hallways designate which direction the students should walk to prevent hallway traffic. Each classroom also provides hand sanitizer dispensers and all desks are six feet apart.

In addition to a mask, students are required to have a desk shield on their desk and with them at all times.

As nothing new is easy, the first few weeks were tough because there was a lost sense of normalcy but the Lawrence High staff tried their best to parallel a typical school year while also following the CDC safety guidelines.

Following the spike in COVID-19 cases in the area, the Lawrence School District was mandated by the state to shut down the schools and do fully remote learning until Oct. 30. In-person instruction resumes Monday.

The digital age we are living in allows us to stay connected and continue learning during these difficult times. The school district has chosen the video conferencing platform Google Meets to conduct teaching.

The teachers have especially risen to the occasion amid the ongoing pandemic and have made the transition to fully remote, a smoother one. Teachers have taken into account that everyone’s home circumstances are different. They are aware that not everyone has a quiet space to work in and are understanding of noise interruptions or Wi-Fi issues.

On the flip side, the students are equally understanding. The teachers have also had to learn to navigate new online platforms. The students appreciate the teachers and want to make it known that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Lawrence High School sophomore, Brian Zatorski said, “Mr. [Paul] Vega is very attentive and checks up on everyone in the class. He always makes sure that everyone understands the material.”

Manuel Cortes, a senior at Lawrence High School said, “Ms. [Lissette] Mendez is very considerate with personal situations. She goes above and beyond and records her lessons and posts them on Google Classroom so the students can watch it at their leisure. It is evident how dedicated and how much she cares about her students.”

Despite the uncertainty of the future, Lawrence students will continue to prevail with the help of our teachers.